Little Common end season with record – Wick and Selsey relishing play-off semis

Little Common 2 AFC Uckfield 1

SCFL premier

Little Common completed their season with a 2-1 victory over AFC Uckfield Town to clinch an 11th place finish and their highest ever points total.

The Commoners saw Paul Feakins and Freddie Warren come in to replace the unavailable Louis Walker and Alvin Scott in an otherwise unchanged starting line-up.

Both teams made positive starts and made their attacking intent known early on. A Russell Eldridge free kick just eluded Jamie Bunn for Common whilst Gbenga Dubrill was proving a handful for the Common defence at the other end.

It was Common who broke the deadlock after nine minutes, once again Eldridge played in Bunn from a free-kick and the Common midfielder made no mistake slotting past the visiting keeper.

The visitors remained positive but were unable to trouble Matt Cruttwell in the Common goal and a free-kick which cleared the crossbar was the closest that they came to an equaliser.

Common could have extended their lead on the stroke of half time but James Miriam-Batchelor saw his effort saved at the near post. Cruttwell made a great save from a header in the opening minutes of the second half and another free-kick drifted over the bar.

The visitors pressing it was Common who put the game to bed in the 80th minute when a loose ball on the edge of the area was drilled home was JJ Walker. Lewis Parsons saw a header hit the post before the visitors grabbed a consolation deep into stoppage time.

Wick FC manager Lee Baldwin says his players are 'hungry for playoff success' as they prepare to entertain Godalming Town at Crabtree Park on Saturday.

James Thurgar clinched home advantage in the Division One playoff semi-final when he met Jack Bingham's first-half cross at Oakwood with a deft header into the far corner for the only goal of the game.

It was the Dragons third victory in five days following 2-0 triumphs at Chessington last Tuesday and at home to Billingshurst 48 hours later.

"It’s a massive game against Godalming and our players are really hungry for playoff success,” said Wick boss Baldwin.

“It’s been a brilliant season and our first aim was to finish in the playoffs which we’ve achieved. The next step is to beat Godalming then best either Epsom & Ewell or Selsey in the final to gain promotion into the Premier Division.

“We won 1-0 at Godalming in November but they beat us by the same score at our place a couple of weeks ago. That was out only defeat in our last ten league games though so we're in good form.”

Wick, who have kept 18 clean sheets this season, will be boosted by the return of midfielder Ryan Singers and central defender Jake Hawker and Baldwin added: ‘We can’t wait for kick-off.

“To reach the play-offs is a tremendous achievement given that we’ve had up to nine or ten players missing through injury for long stretches of the season.

“It’s been difficult to field a settled side but the squad has adapted and they've been tremendous. We finished a distant tenth last term and while we have made huge progress there’s still more work to be done.”

Kick-off is at 3pm and admission is cash only.

Selsey FC are off to Surrey on Saturday for an SCFL Division 1 play-off semi-final with Epsom and Ewell.

They clinched their play-off place when they won their final league game 1-0 at Hailsham, which came two days after a 1-1 draw at home to Arundel.

Selsey boss Daren Pearce said: “To their credit Hailsham made it tough as this was their last game in the division after being relegated on Thursday night.

"With nothing to play for they wanted restore some pride and they did this in front of a reasonable size crowd. Coming to terms with a bumpy pitch we went about out gane trying to do the right things at the right times and with the hosts hardly causing us any anxious moments, we needed to.be patient.

"This paid off after a first half in which we controlled the game, having a few half chances. The breakthrough came in the second half when a good run and cross by Rocco Gamblin was converted by the onrushing Shane Brazil.

"We had a few more half chances and a goal disallowed for a push on the goalkeeper when it appeared no-one was near him. We kept possession well and controlled the remainder of the game, gaining three points to secure the final play-off spot.

“The lads have been brilliant this sesosn and have grown as a group. We’ve stayed competitive in a demanding season. This is the highest the club has finished in a number of seasons.”

Pearce praised his players and the Blues fans for their season’s efforts and appealed for a big push by all concerned in the play-off game at Leatherhead FC (3pm).