Eldridge on spot to help Little Common to point at Horsham YMCA

The Commoners were once again missing a number of players due to illness and injury but Lewis Parsons, Lewis Hole, Sammy Bunn and Adam Smith all returned to the starting line-up. The hosts had the better of the opening exchanges without really testing the Common keeper but it was Common who created the first chance of the match when the impressive Jamie Bunn intercepted a pass on the edge of the area and drove into the box before seeing his effort well saved by the YMCA keeper.

The hosts’ first opportunity came down the left flank, and after cutting in towards goal the home forward saw his effort hit the side netting, when he perhaps should have squared the ball for his team mate. Some neat footwork from Sam Ellis set up a chance for Hole but his left footed effort drifted agonisingly wide of the far post.

The deadlock was broken in the 34th minute when the ball was looped back into the box following a Common corner and as Parsons retrieved the ball and headed towards the goal line he was bundled to the ground and the referee pointed to the spot. Player manager Russell Eldridge made no mistake with the spot kick and the Commoners led 1-0 at the interval.

The hosts were level within ten minutes of the restart when a well worked move saw the ball slipped into Charlie Gee who fired an effort across Cruttwell and into the roof of the net. With the scores level, chances remained at a premium and neither keeper was really called into action as the half wore on. Common came closest to snatching all three points but Nick Richardson saw his effort tipped round the post and both teams had to settle for a point.

Common: Cruttwell, Smith, Harris, J.Bunn, Parsons, Eldridge, Ellis, S.Bunn (Paul), Hole, Crone (Brown), Richardson.