Below par Common soundly beaten

Common conceded twice in the first half of their latest Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One fixture and once more during the second period.

Common made two changes to the team which had beaten Sidlesham seven days earlier, with Jerome Smith and Dave Ammoun coming in to replace the unavailable Martin Denny and unwell player-manager Russell Eldridge.

Defending a strong wind and a somewhat heavy penalty area, the Commoners made the worst possible start to the match by conceding with barely four minutes on the clock. Two failed attempts to clear from a crowded penalty area saw the ball drop kindly to Matthew Burroughs, who prodded home from close range.

Common struggled to get a foothold in the game and it was the hosts who looked most likely to add to their tally. Lingfield should have added a second goal when a forward found himself one on one with Matt Cruttwell, but blasted wide.

Cruttwell pushed a subsequent effort around the post and forced another one on one wide of the goal. At the other end, Common’s only noteworthy effort of the first half was a Lewis Hole effort which was blocked by a defender.

With half time approaching, the hosts added a second goal when a rare Cruttwell mistake saw the ball slip through his legs following a Declan Smith effort from the edge of the area.

Common would have hoped for an improved second half performance with the wind at their back, but Lingfield began the brighter of the two teams. Dave Ammoun cleared an effort off the line before Cruttwell was forced into a smart save at his near post.

The third goal arrived on the hour when Smith’s effort from the edge of the area was deflected into the net following a neat pull-back.

The Commoners went on to enjoy their best passage of the match without really troubling the home stopper. Hole saw a header loop over the crossbar from a Dan Estherby free kick and Steve Morris cleared the crossbar late on.

Common: Cruttwell, Ammoun, Mote (Eldridge), Sherwood, Morris, Smith, Brown (Bristow), Hole, Crone, Estherby (Walker).

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