Table-topping Common chalk up another win

Two goals in the opening 15 minutes set Little Common Football Club on the way to another victory yesterday (Saturday).
Sam Ellis scored the opening goal in Little Common's 3-1 victory at home to Mile Oak.Sam Ellis scored the opening goal in Little Common's 3-1 victory at home to Mile Oak.
Sam Ellis scored the opening goal in Little Common's 3-1 victory at home to Mile Oak.

The Macron Store Southern Combination League Division One leaders made it nine home league wins out of nine with a 3-1 success over Mile Oak on a chilly afternoon at The Oval.

The Commoners made one change to their starting line-up, with Louis Walker coming in to replace the unavailable Lewis Parsons. Harry Saville and Liam Ward returned to the squad on the substitutes’ bench.

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Mile Oak enjoyed the early pressure, but it was from an Oak corner that Common broke away in devastating fashion to take the lead after four minutes. Wes Tate played a throughball to Jamie Crone, who burst into the area before pulling it back for Sam Ellis to rifle into the net.

Matt Cruttwell made a good block following another Oak corner and another Oak attack led to the Commoners going 2-0 up. Ellis this time was the provider for Crone, who outpaced the Oak defence before slotting past the advancing goalkeeper.

Oak will have felt unfortunate not to have pulled a goal back before half time, with James Maynard making a vital block to deny a goalbound effort and Cruttwell saving a shot on the line following a goalmouth scramble.

Oak continued to enjoy good spells of possession in the second period without really causing too many problems for the Common defence. At the other end, Ellis saw a left-footed effort hit the side-netting after cutting into the area.

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Oak threw themselves a lifeline with seven minutes remaining when Remi Coates scored from a well-worked free kick.

Cruttwell was then required to tip a shot over the crossbar as the visitors sensed a share of the spoils. Common continued to look dangerous on the break, though, and Saville delivered across the face of the goal just beyond Lewis Hole at the end of a super run.

Common sealed the points with a third goal a minute from time. As Oak committed men forward, Hole played in Tate, who held off his marker before seeing his shot parried into the net.

Common: Cruttwell, Paul, Walker, Winter, Maynard, Eldridge, Tate, Smith (Saville), Hole, Crone (Ward), Ellis.

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Southern Combination League Division One top half (played-points): 1 LITTLE COMMON 19-49 (+45 goal difference), 2 Lingfield 19-41 (+34), 3 Langney Wanderers 18-41 (+33), 4 Wick 19-40 (+32), 5 BEXHILL UNITED 19-34 (+21), 6 Selsey 17-29 (+11), 7 Mile Oak 18-29 (+3), 8 Steyning Town 18-28 (+17), 9 Ringmer 19-27 (+10).