Little Common sink Saltdean and AFC Uckfield – Newhaven down Down for first win

But it’s Crowborough who lead the SCFL premier – despite dropping their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw at home to Loxwood. Hassocks and Steyning make up the top three

Little Common welcomed new signing Kian Moynes into the starting line-up on what was another windy afternoon at the Rec. The hosts defended the wind in the first half and made a positive start, enjoying the better of the opening exchanges.

Freddie Warren saw an effort flash wide of the post and both Lewis Hole and Ollie Black saw headers miss the target. At the other end, Matt Cruttwell was on hand to divert a far post header over the bar before making a comfortable low save when a Saltdean player broke through the Common defence.

As the half wore on, the visitors looked to take advantage of the strong wind and a series of corners bombarded the Common goal but both Cruttwell and the Common defence ensured that there was no way through.

As the half entered stoppage time, Common took the lead when some neat work on the right saw Moynes deliver a ball into the area which was met with a sweetly stuck first time effort from Hole to nestle in the bottom corner of the net. Common started the second period in the same fashion that Saltdean had ended the first with a succession of corners as they pinned their visitors back looking for a second goal.

Ollie Weeks saw his far post effort rebound off the post before Moynes rattled the crossbar from the edge of the area. The second goal did arrive in the 57th minute when a pinpoint kick from Cruttwell released Moynes who got the better of the visiting keeper before laying the ball into the path of Warren to stroke the ball home.

Despite Common’s dominance the visitors rallied and were given a lifeline with twenty minutes to go when Black was harshly penalised for handling the ball in the area and the resultant spot kick was rolled home. An equaliser never really looked on the cards although a good opportunity was wasted when the ball was blazed over the bar following a pull back in the area.

There was still time for Common to hit the word work again when Sam Ellis’ fierce effort cannoned off the crossbar but Common were able to see out the remainder of the game to collect another three points.

Haywards Heath Town won their first game of the season, winning 3-2 at Crawley Down Gatwick. See a slideshow of pictures from that game in the video player above.

Cameron Dobell, Hayden Skeery and Charlie Pitcher were the Heath scorers to earn their first victory since returning to the SCFL following relegation last season. Oli Leslie and Josh Brown replied for the Anvils.

Midhurst 1 Newhaven 1

SCFL premier

by David Fuller

For the second successive league game, Newhaven had to settle for a point after surrendering a second-half lead.

Up against a physical Midhurst outfit, the Dockers struggled to impose themselves in what was an overall scrappy encounter.

While Newhaven managed to create a few decent first-half openings, it was the hosts who had the half’s two best chances – both being deflected over the crossbar courtesy of last-ditch blocks.

However, Midhurst could count themselves somewhat fortunate to reach half-time with a full quota of players, after The Stag’s right-back escaped a second-booking for a nasty-looking foul on Ian Robinson.

Immediately after the restart, Alfie Rogers spurned a glorious chance to give the Dockers the lead, shooting straight at the Midhurst keeper with the goal at his mercy.

With the game entering its last twenty minutes, Newhaven took the lead that they probably just about merited on their marginally improved second-half showing.

Alfie Rogers’ inch perfect through ball found the recently arrived substitute Callum Connor in the area, and the striker showed his prowess in front of goal, shooting on the turn and finishing with aplomb into the far corner.

However, as had been the case against Horsham YMCA a couple of weeks earlier, having taken a narrow lead, the Dockers were unable to hold onto it.

Midhurst were level within four minutes, a quite brilliant long-range strike from Siph Mdlalose giving Jake Buss no chance.

Things could – and should – have got even worse for Newhaven a few minutes later, as a suddenly rejuvenated Midhurst missed a golden opportunity to take the lead; Jordan Warren missing the target horribly from close-range.

With the game entering injury-time, the Dockers thought they’d nabbed a winner. Callum Edwards’ curling corner was met by the head of Bailie Rogers, who looked certain to have scored, only for a Midhurst defender to clear the ball off the line.

Newhaven pressed for a winner in injury-time, but Midhurst held firm to ensure that the Dockers start the new league campaign with two away draws.

Newhaven 4 Crawley Down Gatwick 2

SCFL premier

by David Fuller

Newhaven picked up their first league win of the season on Tuesday evening, comprehensively dispatching last season’s SCFL Premier Division runners-up, Crawley Down Gatwick, in an entertaining encounter at Fort Road.

Following an open start to the game, which saw both teams go close to scoring, the Dockers took the lead in the 16th minute through Callum Connor.

From a throw-in, the striker received the ball on the edge of the area, bustled his way past a couple of challenges, then blasted the ball with unerring accuracy into the top corner of the net.

The lead was doubled ten minutes later. Connor was again the man doing the damage. In what was almost an exact replica of his goal against Midhurst on Saturday, Newhaven’s number 9 latched onto another inch perfect pass from Alfie Rogers before steering the ball past The Anvils’ goalkeeper.

On the half hour mark, the visitors came close to reducing the deficit, only to be denied by the inside of the post.

Five minutes later, the game appeared out of Crawley Down’s reach, as Robbie Keith powerfully headed home an Alfie Rogers corner to give the Dockers a three-goal half-time lead.

After Newhaven started the second-half slowly, seemingly content to protect what they had, Crawley Down were offered a route back into the game courtesy of a perfectly struck Lewis Gould free-kick from 25 yards.

It was the wake-up call the Dockers needed. Having had two strong penalty claims waved away, Newhaven were finally awarded one with ten minutes left, when Luca Page was clumsily clipped just inside the area. Alfie Rogers made no mistake from the spot to re-establish the host’s three-goal lead.

Credit to Crawley Down, though, who kept fighting, and made the final five minutes nervier than they perhaps should have been for Newhaven, when Ben Connolly calmly finished off a good team move.

Ultimately, though, the Dockers held on to pick up a deserved three-points.

MOM: Callum Connor. His two extremely well-taken finishes gave the Dockers the platform they needed to go on and pick up a vital three points.

AFC Uckfield 0 Little Common 1

SCFL premier

A solitary strike from Sam Ellis was enough to ensure that Little Common maintained their impressive start to the season with a 1-0 victory over AFC Uckfield Town on Tuesday night.

Common manager Russell Eldridge made one change to the starting line up with Jamie Crone coming in to replace Lewis Hole and there was also a return to the bench for Jack McLean. Common dominated the early proceedings, pinning their hosts back and enjoying long spells of possession.

Sam Cruttwell saw an early header loop over the bar and Freddie Warren’s effort from the edge of the area cannoned off the crossbar as Common looked to make their dominance count. Ellis saw a low strike saved at the near post and Paul Feakins hit wide of the target when well placed.

At the other end, Matt Cruttwell was on hand to tip a cross-cum-shot onto the bar in the hosts only real notable chance of the half. Common began the second half in the same vein, Cruttwell seeing an effort blocked and Ellis hitting wide of the target.

The all important goal arrived in the 65th minutes when Cruttwell released Ellis who drove forward towards goal before cutting inside and burying an effort beyond the despairing dive of the home keeper.

The hosts went on to enjoy their best spell of the game and almost provided an instant response when the ball was looped into the next from close range but the referee had already blown due to an injury to the Common keeper. Common could have added a second late on when the ‘Scottish 42 club’ man of the match Kian Moynes pulled the ball back across goal but Ellis was unable to connect from close range.

Town had a late flurry of attacks but the Commoners were able to see the game out and ensure their best after start to a premier division campaign.

Common boss Russell Eldridge said: “It’s been a very good week taking maximum points and extending our unbeaten run to the start of the season. We certainly won’t be getting carried away and know that we have to continue to work hard in every game we play. The squad is developing as we add strength and competition for places.

"Saturday's game against Saltdean we started extremely well and but defending the wind they came back at us but we defended well. The goal on half time was well worked and we started the second half fast and had we scored at this point the game could have been different, we hit the woodwork four times.

"The penalty we conceded was extremely harsh but we managed to see the game out.“Tuesday night at Uckfield we dominated in terms of possession and territory but were unable to force the keeper into meaningful saves despite hitting the bar early on. The second half we got the goal we wanted and deserved and managed the game to get the three points. We now have a break this weekend before the bank holiday weekend double header.”