  The introduction of a delay in the Friedmann equation of cosmological
evolution is shown to result in the very early universe undergoing the
necessary accelerated expansion in the usual radiation (or matter) dominated
phase. Occurring even without a violation of the strong energy condition, this
expansion slows down naturally to go over to the decelerated phase, namely the
standard Hubble expansion. This may obviate the need for a scalar field driven
inflationary epoch.
