Going set to get tough for table-topping Common

Little Common Football Club is about to embark on a tough final third of the season as it seeks to stay top of the table.
Little Common player-manager Russell Eldridge. Picture courtesy Catherine GurneyLittle Common player-manager Russell Eldridge. Picture courtesy Catherine Gurney
Little Common player-manager Russell Eldridge. Picture courtesy Catherine Gurney

The bang in form Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One leaders have 12 games remaining and nine of them are against teams in the top half.

Common player-manager Russell Eldridge said: "There are some games against teams towards the top end of the table. Obviously we'll be looking to win the games, but the most important thing when we play some of these teams in and around us is we don't lose points to them."

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The trip to fourth-placed Steyning Town tomorrow (Saturday) - one of seven away fixtures Common have left to play - is one such match.

Action from Bexhill United's 8-1 defeat at home to Langney Wanderers on Monday. Picture by Simon NewsteadAction from Bexhill United's 8-1 defeat at home to Langney Wanderers on Monday. Picture by Simon Newstead
Action from Bexhill United's 8-1 defeat at home to Langney Wanderers on Monday. Picture by Simon Newstead

Steyning are six points behind Common having played an extra game and Common were 4-0 winners in September's reverse fixture.

Both teams are enjoying good runs at present, with Common having won their last eight league contests and Steyning unbeaten in six.

And it should be entertaining because Common and Steyning are the two highest scorers in the division with 130 league goals between them.

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"I expect it to be a tough game," continued Eldridge, who believes Steyning's artificial 3G surface may well suit his team. "They've had some good results of late and we've got to make sure we're right at both ends of the pitch. We like to pass the ball and the pitch may just help us a little bit."

Eldridge hopes to select from an unchanged squad.

Bexhill United joint manager Ryan Light, meanwhile, has promised changes following the 8-1 drubbing at home to Langney Wanderers on Monday.

The Pirates haven't picked up any Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One points since way back on November 26 and have slid to eighth in the table.

Light said: "We've had five defeats on the spin and now we will have to make changes just so the second half of the season doesn't peter out.

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"We want to finish as high as possible. This year is all about laying foundations and we might have just run out of steam a little bit the last few weeks so it needs freshening up.

"Our team selections have been pretty consistent, but we might just need to freshen it up with one or two and we might tinker with the shape of the side."

Probably the last thing you'd want after losing 8-1 is to meet a team which won its last match 9-0, but that's the scenario facing Bexhill as they prepare to visit third-placed Mile Oak tomorrow.

"We will go there with a gameplan to try and get ourselves back on track," added Light, who expects to welcome back almost all of the players who missed the Langney game.

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