Duo bag hat-tricks as Common hit seven

Lewis Hole and Jamie Crone each netted hat-tricks in a 7-2 victory away to St Francis Rangers on Saturday.

Common player-manager Russell Eldridge made one change to the team which had lost a cup match at Langney Wanderers the previous weekend, with Harry Saville coming in to replace the unavailable Jake Sherwood.

Common began the match firmly on the front foot and opened the scoring with barely three minutes on the clock. Hole ran on to a Dan Cruikshank throughball before the lifting the ball over the home goalkeeper and heading into the net.

One almost became two moments later when Hole’s effort was saved following a neat Cam Burgon throughball. Common continued to create chances, with Crone and Burgon both seeing efforts saved by the home goalkeeper.

At the other end, away stopper Matt Cruttwell was rarely troubled apart from dealing with a couple of high free kicks into the area.

Common finally got the second goal that their dominance deserved in the 35th minute. Anthony Cooper played the ball down the line for Saville, whose pull-back found Crone at the near post and he swept the ball home.

It was the home side who began the second half stronger and their early pressure paid off when their first effort on goal found the roof of net following a free kick into the area.

Any hopes of a St Francis comeback were soon extinguished with two quick Common goals. Crone found Hole unmarked at the end of a powerful run and he side-footed into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Hole then turned provider following a quick free kick and Crone rounded the goalkeeper before blasting home.

Burgon saw an effort spilled by the home goalkeeper and Crone stabbed an effort agonisingly wide before Rangers reduced the deficit to 4-2 with 10 minutes remaining when Cruttwell missed a headed clearance.

It was Common who finished the match the stronger, adding three late goals. Hole completed his hat-trick from an Eldridge throughball before Crone’s clever backheel found Burgon, who placed his shot into an unguarded net.

The scoring was completed on the stroke of full time when neat play once again from Hole and Crone saw the former provide the latter with a chance to complete his own hat-trick.

Common: Cruttwell, Cooper, Aston (Curteis), Eldridge, Ammoun, Cruikshank, Denny (Wells), Saville (Foster), Hole, Crone.

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