Common seek to produce cup form in league

Little Common Football Club is facing up to the challenge of reproducing its excellent cup form in the league.
Ricky Mote on the ball for Little Common during their 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151014-105517002)Ricky Mote on the ball for Little Common during their 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151014-105517002)
Ricky Mote on the ball for Little Common during their 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151014-105517002)

The Commoners have won five of their six matches in the various knockout competitions so far this season and this week reached the quarter-finals of the Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Peter Bentley Challenge Cup.

But they’ve picked up just one point from their last four Division One league games to lie in eighth place - eight points outside the top four.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Common player-manager Russell Eldridge said: “We wanted to do well in the cups before the season started and so far we’ve done that, but we’ve just lacked that little bit of consistency in the league.

Ricky Mote on the ball for Little Common during their 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151014-105517002)Ricky Mote on the ball for Little Common during their 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151014-105517002)
Ricky Mote on the ball for Little Common during their 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151014-105517002)

“We’ve got to find our form in the league because otherwise it’s going to be a stuttering season like last year and you don’t want to get to after Christmas with not much to play for.

“So from now until Christmas it’s vital we start to pick up points in the league and we’ll be looking to do that away at Steyning this weekend.”

Common will visit Premier Division side Broadbridge Heath in the last eight of the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup after their entertaining 4-3 extra-time victory at home to Oakwood on Tuesday night.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’re having a great season in the cups,” Eldridge continued. “You never know what happens in the quarters. All of a sudden you can be into the semi-final and before you know it you can be into the final. Obviously we’re not going to look that far ahead, but we’re into the quarter-final on merit. It’s been a tough draw and we’ve deserved our place in there, and we’ll be looking to get ourselves into the semi-final.”

Lewis Hole netted twice against Oakwood to join strike partner Jamie Crone on 10 goals for the season, while defenders Dave Ammoun and Steve Mote also scored.

“It was an excellent result in the end,” Eldridge added. “I think we started very slowly and allowed them to get a foothold in the game, but after that I thought we did okay. We showed good character throughout the game, good ability on the ball and were able to take our chances.”

Although Billy Trickett is unavailable, Common should be close to full strength for the trip to Steyning Town in the league tomorrow (Saturday).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

Related topics: