Second half double nets away win

Russell Eldridge ended Little Common's miserable run of missed penalties by scoring their equaliser in the 2-1 win away to Saltdean United. Picture courtesy Bob Matthews

Second half strikes from Russell Eldridge and Lewis Hole gave Common a come-from-behind 2-1 victory away to second-bottom Saltdean United in Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two.

Common player-manager Eldridge said: “The first 20 minutes was probably as poorly as we’ve played all season, but the second half was much better.”

The visitors made too many errors early on against a Saltdean side determined to atone for a 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Rustington the previous weekend.

Saltdean duly opened the scoring. The ball was slipped through and a player in an offside position left it as Common hesitated, allowing Jordan Peskett to run from deep and lift it over away goalkeeper Matt Cruttwell.

Common began to get a foothold in the game as the first half wore on and ended the opening 45 minutes fairly strongly. Steve Morris spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise, lifting a close range finish over the crossbar with just the goalkeeper to beat.

After some stern words during the interval, Common began the second half on the front foot and showed a lot more quality. Common enjoyed good possession and carved out a few half chances, and you sensed it was only a matter of time until they equalised.

The goal eventually came from a penalty awarded for a fairly blatant push on Jerome Smith at a corner. Common have missed four spot-kicks so far this season, but this time Eldridge made no mistake.

Common put their opponents under pressure thereafter and Saltdean struggled to get out of their own half. The winner arrived when Morris latched on to a good ball down the line and delivered a lovely cross for Hole to get across the goalkeeper and volley in off the crossbar. The goalkeeper tried to claim the ball hadn’t crossed the line, but the linesman was convinced it had.

Cruttwell was rarely troubled in the second half and Common had a good opportunity to widen their margin of victory, but Jared Lusted’s first time shot following a defensive slip was saved.

Common: Cruttwell; Sherwood, McEniry, Smith, S. Mote; Lusted (R. Mote), Bristow (Woodward), Eldridge, Denny (MacDonald); Morris, Hole.