Common maintain unbeaten start to season

Two goals from Mark Freeman - his fourth and fifth of the season - and a superb free kick from Tim Bigg maintained Common's unbeaten start to life in the Third Division and took their points haul to an impressive seven out of a possible nine.

Common pretty much made the game safe by half time on Saturday as all three of their goals came during the opening period of play.

Ifield offered the early threat and Matt Shoesmith had to be alert to save from Lloyd Hatton after failing to hold an initial long range effort. Soon after Mark Gillingham almost stole in as the home defence failed to deal with a free kick.

But Common's patient, short passing game, with impressive captain Craig Willard at the helm in central midfield, began to pay dividends and midway through the first half they opened the scoring.

Steve Willard whipped in a free kick from the right and the ball cut out the initial clutch of players but waiting at the back post was Freeman who rifled the ball beyond helpless goalkeeper David Condon.

Freeman bagged his second on 37 minutes with a penalty after the same player had been manhandled in the Ifield area by centre-half Rob Mills.

Freeman came agonisingly close to claiming a first half hat-trick but his looping header, from a Brian Ray ball, arched beyond the upright.

A couple of minutes before the interval Bigg unleashed a free kick from wide on the left which flashed across Condon and zipped into the far corner of the net.

If Ifield were to have any chance of getting back into the match they needed an early goal in the second half and it arrived on 54 minutes when Lee May swooped after being left unmarked at a corner.

The visitors went on to enjoy their best spell but once this burst of energy had subsided, there was only going to be one winner and Ifield - tipped as potential champions - departed the Recreation Ground still looking for their first point of the season.

Common manager Ken Cherry said: "We gave away a silly goal but other than that, it was a good result because they are considered to be one of the favourites for the title."