Early strike gives Common victory

A goal in the opening six minutes was enough to see Little Common’s footballers collect another three points yesterday (Saturday).
Jamie Crone's early goal gave Little Common a 1-0 victory at home to Saltdean United yesterdayJamie Crone's early goal gave Little Common a 1-0 victory at home to Saltdean United yesterday
Jamie Crone's early goal gave Little Common a 1-0 victory at home to Saltdean United yesterday

In-form striker Jamie Crone got the all-important goal and Common kept their first Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One clean sheet of the season as they won 1-0 at home to Saltdean United.

On a blustery afternoon at the Rec, Common made a number of changes to their starting line-up with Liam Foster, Sam Brown and Paul Feakins all returning.

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It was Common who enjoyed the better of the opening stages and they went on to dominate for long periods of the first half without really finding top gear.

Common opened the scoring through the lively Crone, who was once again on hand to round the goalkeeper and stroke into an empty net following a neat throughball from Feakins.

The goal fest which the home faithful may have hoped for thereafter never materialised, although Common certainly created enough chances to have put the match out of sight by half time.

Jared Lusted and Martin Denny both had opportunities palmed away by the visiting goalkeeper, and Sam Brown saw an effort turned over the crossbar. A flurry of corners went unconverted and Common had to settle for a one-goal lead at the interval.

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It was the visitors who began the second half the brighter of the two teams as they looked to get back on level terms.

A succession of corners were successfully negotiated by the Common defence and goalkeeper Matt Cruttwell once again looked in good form as he comfortably dealt with deliveries into the area.

At the other end, Lewis Hole had an opportunity to double Common’s lead but after beating the goalkeeper to the ball, he poked agonisingly wide.

Denny saw an acrobatic overhead kick hit the post before Saltdean missed their best opportunity of the afternoon. Dave Ammoun was dispossessed following a quickly taken goal kick, but Cruttwell saved well to his right to push the ball onto the post.

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Common enjoyed a late spell of pressure, during which Hole was unable to connect when well placed and Denny saw an effort fizz past the post as Common held on for their fourth consecutive home victory.

Common: Cruttwell, Sherwood, Lusted, Brown, Ammoun, Eldridge, Foster, Feakins (Estherby), Hole, Crone (MacDonald), Denny.

Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One top seven (played-points): 1 Oakwood 6-16, 2 Southwick 5-12, 3 LITTLE COMMON 5-12, 4 Crawley Down Gatwick 5-12, 5 Storrington 5-12, 6 Haywards Heath Town 4-12, 7 BEXHILL UNITED 4-12.

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