On Tuesday evening I was over on Canvey Island for the first time this season as I visited Thames Road and Concord Rangers as they hosted Romford in an Essex Senior Cup 4th Round tie.
Concord are playing their football in the National League South these days whilst Romford are two leagues below in the Ryman North, and Concord of course had won this competition for the last two seasons so had pedigree in the competition for sure.
Both teams looked to show some attacking intent in the first couple of minutes, both testing out each others defensive line early on. However after this opening exchange the hosts began to carve out openings with the first one arriving on four minutes when Steve Cawley found himself played in on goal but he could only chip wide of the far post.
Two minutes later and Cawley went close for the hosts again as after Ben Greenhaigh squared to him his effort was blocked at point blank range by a desperate defender and then on eleven minutes the hosts came closer still when a corner was headed against the base of the near post by Steve King.
On the quarter hour mark Greenhaigh pounced on loose Romford pass and drove into the box but his ball across goal invaded Cawley and drifted away from danger and then on twenty minutes more Concord pressure saw Cawley turn inside the box and strike just wide of the near post. It had been relentless from the hosts but they hadn’t managed to find a way through.
Just before the half hour mark Cawley found himself in again but the ball got stuck under his feet and eventually saw the visitors clear the danger. You could sense the hosts starting to get frustrated as they still hadn’t found a way through and the visitors were starting to grow in confidence and ten minutes before half time almost snatched a shock lead as after their first effort was blocked, Lee Weemes dragged an effort just wide. It was a very close call for the favourites.
But then four minutes before the break came Concord’s eventual breakthrough as Greenhaighwas played in and he confidently rounded keeper Nick Reynolds and slotted home to see the hosts breathe a sigh of relief at finally getting that opening goal. Concord Rangers 1 Romford 0.
A minute before half time the hosts almost doubled their lead when a great header from Max Cornhill produced a great save from Reynolds in the Romford net and made sure his side only went in a goal down at the half time break.
Half Time Concord Rangers 1 Romford 0
It didn’t take long for Concord to get a second though as just three minutes after the restartCawley got in on the left hand side of the box, took aim and hammered a left footed effort past Reynolds into the far corner. Concord Rangers 2 Romford 0.
The hosts smelt blood now and almost made it three on 50 minutes as Cawley’s cross to Greenhaigh was tipped wide by Reynolds. Then from the resulting corner the visitors cleared off their own line as Concord were threatening to run riot.
Then came a decent five minute spell from the Ryman North visitors and on 55 minutes they flashed one across the face of Concord’s goal before threatening again three minutes later when
Weemes played in Chinedu Mckenzie who flashed his effort across goal but wide of the far post. It was only a brief restbite for the visiting defence though as just past the hour mark the hosts made it three when Joe Gardner was played in and he duly rounded Reynolds before slotting home. Concord Rangers 3 Romford 0.
Weemes played in Chinedu Mckenzie who flashed his effort across goal but wide of the far post. It was only a brief restbite for the visiting defence though as just past the hour mark the hosts made it three when Joe Gardner was played in and he duly rounded Reynolds before slotting home. Concord Rangers 3 Romford 0.
Moments later Gardner missed from close range, mishitting a volley into Reynolds hands as he nearly got his second in as many minutes and then from the hosts next attack a great lay off from Cornhill to Sam Bantick saw the latters effort saved at the near post by Reynolds. However the keeper could not do anything to prevent Concord’s fourth on 65 minutes when King headed home a corner from close range. Concord Rangers 4 Romford 0.
And barely sixty seconds later it was five for the dominant Beachboys as Greenhaigh nipped in to fire past Reynolds at his near post and grab his second of the evening in the process.Concord Rangers 5 Romford 0.
The game quietened down somewhat after this and Romford did have a couple of attacks, one seeing a decent effort from Weemes deflect wide. With ten minutes to go the hosts went close as a free kick flicked across goal saw King just fail to connect at the far post and then a minute later Bantick beat the offside trap, cut inside onto his left foot, but hit his effort straight at Reynolds.
As time ran down the hosts looked more likely to add to their growing lead rather than the visitors pulling one back and with literally the final action of the match Cawley was brought down by Reynolds for a hosts penalty which saw Cawley himself get up, dust himself down and dispatch the spot kick and at that moment see the referee blow for full time. Concord are in the Quarter-Finals yet again and will no doubt be one to avoid in the Last Eight.
Full Time Concord Rangers 6 Romford 0
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