Bexhill thrash 9-man Common

Bexhill United midfielder Dean Stevens shields the ball from Little Common youngster Sam Cruttwell. Picture by Simon Newstead

Another miserable trip to The Polegrove for Common was topped off by a pair of red cards as Bexhill’s hard work to get the game played despite all the recent rain was handsomely rewarded.

Common actually made the best possible start with a goal in the very first minute. Jamie Crone got away down the left and pulled the ball back for Jared Lusted to sweep into the far corner.

Bexhill were level less than four minutes later, though. Craig Ottley’s right wing corner was spilled by Common goalkeeper Jon Saunders at the far post and the ball dribbled across the line.

Saunders, making his return after a number of weeks out injured, was sent-off for bringing down Jacob Shelton. Zack McEniry took over the gloves and his first task was to pick the ball out of the net as Dean Stevens drilled home the resulting penalty to give Bexhill an 18th minute lead.

Shelton made it 3-1 in the 31st minute with a low volley. Bexhill goalkeeper Russell Tanner made a superb save from a Josh Elliott-Noye volley before the hosts went 4-1 up in the 45th minute. Shelton latched onto Jarvis’s ball over the top and cut it back for Kasey Smith to score via the underside of the bar.

Common were reduced to nine men in the 50th minute when Elliott-Noye was given his marching orders, presumably for something he said. Shelton missed a great chance to make it 5-1 by lifting over from close range, but made no mistake in the 67th minute after Peter Cooper helped on a low corner.

Bexhill: Tanner, P. Stevens (Hill 67), Ottley, Earley (Aston 58), Richardson, D. Stevens, Catt, A. Jarvis, Cooper, K. Smith (A. Tudor 71), Shelton.

Common: Saunders, Elliott-Noye, Mote, Eldridge, Morris, McEniry, Lusted (A. Smith 57), Cruttwell, Hole (Richardson 71), Crone, Denny (Cooper 53).

See tomorrow’s Bexhill Observer for a full report.