Late double seals Common win

Common struck twice in little more than 60 seconds deep into the final 10 minutes to seal a 3-1 win at home to Saltdean United in Macron Store Sussex County Football League Division Two.

Saltdean certainly didn’t look like a side which had conceded 21 goals in losing their previous five games as they had the better of the early exchanges on a mild evening at the Recreation Ground.

Adam Burton volleyed wide when unmarked at the far post for the visitors and then forced a great save out of home goalkeeper Matt Cruttwell from a not dissimilar position. Tom Bowles shot just off target after Common failed to clear the resulting corner.

Common began to impose themselves on the game far more after the opening 10 minutes, albeit without really threatening the away goal. Elliott Quant had a couple of efforts from distance at the other end, the second of which bounced awkwardly in front of Cruttwell.

The home side’s best moments of the first half came in the final few minutes. Russell Eldridge called away goalkeeper Graham Leach into action with a shot from outside the area and then played a good ball over the top for Lewis Hole to fire over with his less favoured right foot.

Hole was thwarted by Leach after latching on to a ball over the top in the opening 70 seconds of the second period. Quant and Morris shot just wide at either end before Common opened the scoring in the 56th minute when Martin Denny stuck out a leg to divert home Eldridge’s mishit volley which looked to be going wide.

Hole’s shot following a good ball by strike partner Morris was blocked by Will Lombard just a couple of minutes later, while at the other end, Cruttwell pushed aside a Terry Gacias effort from range and Wayne Wilkinson’s goalbound volley from the subsequent corner was blocked.

Saltdean equalised in the 73rd minute. Gacias played a ball down the away right which Burton got on the end of before cutting inside onto his left foot and beating Cruttwell with a low angled shot.

Hole had a penalty appeal turned down at one end prior to Wilkinson lobbing just wide from distance and Quant firing narrowly off target at the other.

Common went back in front in the 85th minute courtesy of a crisply-struck left-foot shot by Hole which seemed to take a deflection on its way into the net. The hosts added a third moments later, Morris holding off the last defender and executing a lovely chip over Leach.

Common: Cruttwell, Sherwood, Mote, Eldridge, McEniry, Smith, Denny (Ham 71), Brown, Hole, Morris, Feakins (Burton 83). Sub not used: Ammoun.