Video: Boss praises Common young guns

Russell Eldridge was quick to praise the performances of Little Common Football Club’s young players in the midweek win over Oakwood.
Little Common full-back Byron Nichol tussles with Oakwood's Darren Tidey at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151111-102226002)Little Common full-back Byron Nichol tussles with Oakwood's Darren Tidey at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151111-102226002)
Little Common full-back Byron Nichol tussles with Oakwood's Darren Tidey at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151111-102226002)

The likes of Byron Nichol, Rosh Wells and Luke Curteis made the most of their elevation to the starting line-up by helping Common to a 3-1 victory. Nichol, in fact, scored the opening goal from a Wells corner.

Common player-manager Eldridge said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the result and the performance as well. If you look at the starting 11, there was maybe a lack of experience in certain positions, but I think the young lads - Byron, Luke and Rosh - did extremely well. I thought Byron was excellent at left-back, like a seasoned pro.

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“To get a 2-0 lead at half time was key. It was probably a game of limited chances, but the chances that came to us I thought we took well.

Little Common full-back Byron Nichol tussles with Oakwood's Darren Tidey at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151111-102226002)Little Common full-back Byron Nichol tussles with Oakwood's Darren Tidey at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151111-102226002)
Little Common full-back Byron Nichol tussles with Oakwood's Darren Tidey at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. Picture by Simon Newstead (SUS-151111-102226002)

“I thought it was a solid, professional performance in the second half. We showed a little bit of character near the end when they were chucking stuff at us. We put our bodies on the line, won the first and second balls, and made good decisions.”

The result put Common through to the last 16 of the Parafix Sussex Senior Challenge Cup for the second consecutive season.

The third round draw has yet to be made, but Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One team Common could come up against one of the county’s big guns, with the likes of Brighton & Hove Abion, Whitehawk, Eastbourne Borough, Bognor Regis Town, Lewes and Hastings United still left in the competition.

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Eldridge’s old club, Hastings, pulled off a shock 2-1 victory away to League Two side Crawley Town.

“I’m thrilled for the boys,” he continued. “It’s another win, we’re into the next round of the cup and a chance of getting a bigger name team.

“We played Eastbourne away last year which was nice to go to a nice ground, but it would be nice to have a bigger team here at the Rec. Hastings would be quite a nice one here.”

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