Common late show seals win

Little Common defender Jerome Smith (right) tussles for possession during the win over Midhurst & Easebourne. Picture by Steve Hunnisett (SUS-140920-181352002)

The Commoners scored two late goals to clinch a 4-2 victory at home to Midhurst & Easebourne in Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two on Saturday.

Midhurst arrived at the Recreation Ground having yet to taste victory this season, but were far from a pushover for a Common team feeling the effects of their fifth match in a fortnight.

It was the visitors who enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and twice they came close to opening the scoring.

The Commoners began to get a foothold in the game and broke the deadlock in the 29th minute. Zack McEniry was fouled on the edge of the area following a corner and player-manager Russell Eldridge stepped up to curl the resulting free kick past the unsighted goalkeeper.

Common enjoyed their best spell of the match as the game edged towards half time and doubled their lead when Hole’s cross was headed into the roof of the net by Steve Morris at the far post.

Common began the second half looking for the decisive third goal, but then gifted the visitors a way back into the match when Matt Cruttwell’s pass to Steve Mote was intercepted and placed into an empty net.

The visitors sensed an equaliser and Cruttwell was on hand to make a good block, but it was no surprise when the Stags finally fashioned an equaliser with 10 minutes remaining. As the Commoners failed to clear their lines, Gary Norgate lifted the ball over Cruttwell and into the net.

The equaliser seemed to spur the Commoners on and within five minutes they were back in front. An Eldridge corner found Morris on the edge of the area and his powerful strike nestled into the corner of the net.

Eldridge saw an eight-yard volley clear the crossbar before Midhurst almost pegged Common back once more, but a superb header from Norgate cannoned off the crossbar.

Moments later the match was put beyond doubt when a quick break saw 16-year-old substitute Simon Tomlinson flick the ball on to Hole, who rounded the goalkeeper to slot home his seventh goal in five games.

Common: Cruttwell, Sherwood, Mote, Eldridge, McEniry, Smith, Denny (Tomlinson), Brown (Haward), Hole, Morris, Burton (Ham).