Common dent rivals' promotion hopes

Little Common's footballers put a dent in Mile Oak's promotion aspirations with a 3-1 victory away from home yesterday (Saturday).
Lewis Hole opened the scoring for Little Common in their 3-1 win away to Mile Oak. Picture courtesy Jon SmalldonLewis Hole opened the scoring for Little Common in their 3-1 win away to Mile Oak. Picture courtesy Jon Smalldon
Lewis Hole opened the scoring for Little Common in their 3-1 win away to Mile Oak. Picture courtesy Jon Smalldon

First half goals from Lewis Hole, Jamie Crone and Russell Eldridge mean Common have now won as many Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One games as they’ve lost this season.

Conditions were not ideal and a heavy downpour prior to kick-off left some areas of the pitch very heavy. Common made one change from the team which went down 1-0 to Lancing in a Peter Bentley Challenge Cup semi-final the previous Tuesday, with Cam Burgon coming in to replace the unavailable Dave Ammoun.

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In a lively opening both teams looked to assert themselves as play switched from end to end. Common goalkeeper Matt Cruttwell blocked a goalbound effort on the edge of the area, while Crone saw a goalbound shot blocked at the other end.

It was Common who opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Crone’s mazy run into the area saw the ball fall at the feet of Hole, who rifled into the bottom corner of the net beyond the despairing dive of the home goalkeeper.

Crone saw another effort smothered by the home goalkeeper before Hole fired wide from a tight angle, but Mile Oak levelled in the 24th minute when Eric Wedgebull’s header somehow found its way past Sam Brown on the Common post.

The Commoners were soon on the front foot once again and Dan Estherby’s delivery flashed across the box before Liam Foster’s perfect pass allowed Crone to fire Common back in front.

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The home side forced a number of corners and Cruttwell made a good save low to his left. Common added to their lead on the stroke of half time, however, when Crone’s run into the area resulted in him being upended by the Oak goalkeeper and Eldridge made no mistake with the resultant penalty.

The second period was a lot less open and chances were at a premium; the hosts twice saw headers clear the crossbar before Common full-back Jake Sherwood screwed an effort wide following a driving run.

Oak thought they should have had a penalty of their own following Brown’s high foot as he attempted to clear the ball, but the referee waved play on.

Burgon’s shot was pushed into the side-netting and Estherby had a late effort blocked by the home goalkeeper as Common completed a well-fought victory.

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Common: Cruttwell, Sherwood (Curteis), Maynard, Eldridge, Mote, Brown, Foster, Burgon (Wells), Hole, Crone (Lusted), Estherby.

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