Concord Rangers 3-2 Walthamstow
Walthamstow fell to defeat on the road on Tuesday after a 3-2 loss away at Concord Rangers in the Isthmian League.
It was a tough game for both sides with the wind playing its part, but mistakes at the back caught Stow out once again.
The visitors were the ones who started brightly and took the lead within 15 minutes. A corner routine from Concord lead to Khris Oti being unmarked in the box and heading home to give the Beachboys the lead.
Their lead only lasted eight minutes as Stow found the net and drew level. A loose back pass was chased down by both Charlie Heatley and Callum Ibe which lead to goalkeeper Sebastian Thrussell clearing the ball into Ibe who rolled the ball into an empty net.
It was then all Stow in the first half with chances being made but none of them being scored. Charlie Heatley headed a long ball down towards Rasheed Salau who volleyed straight at the keeper, and Callum Ibe found Brian Garzon on the right-hand side of the box who also forced a good save from the Concord shot stopper.
The second half began with the visitors regaining the lead just five minutes in. Reggie Gregory found himself in behind the Stow defence and calmly slotted the ball past David Hughes to make it 2-1.
Stow weren’t out of it yet and nearly drew level if it wasn’t for a goal line clearance. Concord goalkeeper Sebastian Thrussell held onto the ball for more than eight seconds giving Stow a corner. Callum Ibe’s delivery was pushed by the wind and heading in but was cleared off the line by Max Dorili.
Concord eventually made it 3-1 in the 82nd minute. A mistake at the back from Stow gave Thomas Sykes a 1 on 1 chance with Hughes, in which he lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net.
The blues kept creating chances to get back into the game when Chris Regis found himself 1 on 1 with the goalkeeper but he put the ball wide from six yards out.
Stow did find the goal they were looking for thanks to Charlie Heatley. A ball over the top from Shawn Joseph found Heatley who fired off the post and into the back of the net to get Stow back into the game.
Concord were starting to feel the pressure and Stow were pushing for the equaliser but still couldn’t find the net when Charlie Heatley was found over the top but fired over the bar.
That was the last action of the game and the hosts held on to the victory. Walthamstow remain 11 points clear of the drop zone and take on Lowestoft Town this weekend on Non-League Day.
