Boars through to Peter Bentley third round after Little Common win

Roffey were given the three hour round trip to Little Common, on a Friday night for the second week running after playing Bexhill there the week before. This time it was for the second round of the Peter Bentley Cup.

The hosts started with only five of the team that was beaten 8-0 on the first game of the season and it was clear that there was to be no repeat of that scoreline and it turned out to be a much quieter affair.

Seven minutes in Common keeper Fletcher Chapman hoisted a free kick from the half-way line, deep into the Roffey box and after a half clearance the ball was volleyed wide via a deflection. Tresor Difika cleared the corner with a towering header. On eighteen minutes Charlie Burton rolled the ball out to Jack Meeres who advanced to centre circle before picking out Stan Berry on the left wing. Berry got round his man and cut the ball back for Jordan Mase whose shot was well turned away by Fletcher for a corner. Difika got up well from the kick, but his header was inches too high.

The Boars only had to wait three more minutes to go ahead when Josh Neathey intercepted a Common pass and threaded the ball into the path of Luca Allen who drove into the penalty area and side footed the ball into the bottom corner. Roffey continued to dominate possession but had a scare when a Mase pass was latched onto by former Horsham and Eastbourne Borough favourite Nathan Crabb, but Boars’ keeper stood up well and made the save.

The second half started quietly with neither side really threatening the opposition goal. On 68 minutes Jamie Smith’s pass found Tiago Andrade running into the box with a defender, but Chapman came out to bravely take the ball at his feet. On 73 minutes Byron Napper Andrade and Wood combined but Woods dangerous cross was cleared. At the other end a Common free kick was taken easily by Burton as Roffey looked comfortable even with such a narrow lead. With five minutes of the ninety remaining, Andrade sent Wood down the line, and he played it inside for Mase and then Tom Caplin; the ball was worked to Evan Hoarty, but his shot was saved by Chapman. Common responded with a break down the right ending with a shot which went high into the night sky.

As stoppage time approached, Wood cleared down the line and Charlie Gibson helped the ball onto Andrade who laid it into the full back’s path. After a throw in. Mase found Mesquita who in turn set up Hoarty and Chapman got down brilliantly to keep the deficit at one. Deep into stoppage time Wood again got around the back and pulled the ball back for Mase but the Boars top scorer got underneath the ball and cleared the bar. The very last action saw a Little Common free kick drift wide of Burtons right hand post with the Boars stopper covering it,

So, a rather quiet game with a lot of neat football from both sides without much explosive action around the goals. However, Roffey had controlled most of the game against a Common team who were fresh from their first win of the season and much improved from day one. The Boars now face Newhaven or Lancing in the third round.

Roffey: Burton, Smith, Gibson, Napper, Meeres, Difiku, Pearse (Caplin) Allen (Andrade), Mase (Mesquita), Berry, Neathey(Caplin).