FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Little Common Recreation Ground, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £6.00
Programme: Sold Out
Attendance: 237
With Charlton playing at home on the Saturday, I assumed that I would not be able to take in a game in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round this weekend. But fortunately, earlier in the week, I noticed that one of my local clubs had moved their game to the Sunday, for reasons I do not know, but it was great news for me.
This match promised to be quite a big occasion for Little Common. It would be the first time that a FA Cup match has been held at the Recreation Ground, and the first for many, many years in Bexhill. Furthermore, the visitors are plying their trade a step above the hosts, and being an extremely well supported club these days - their average home attendance last season was 658, very impressive for what was then a Step 5 club - and so they would presumably bring a large contingent fans from north Kent for this game.
Little Common have established themselves comfortably in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, finishing in tenth place last season, although they opened their season with a home defeat last Saturday, against Broadbridge Heath. But the future is looking bright for Little Common, now back playing in their home village after several seasons playing their home fixtures in Eastbourne, and the necessary upgrades to their home ground. Chatham Town had an excellent season, finishing as runners up in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, and thereby earning promotion back to the Isthmian League Division One South, after five seasons away.
Arriving about quarter of an hour ahead of kick-off, I missed out on a programme unfortunately, with the contradictory feelings of disappointment to have missed out, but glad that the sell-out demonstrates that printed programmes are still popular and purchased, and in any case, I hope to pay a return visit to Little Common in the coming month or so.
On a warm and sunny afternoon, the first half was one which the visitors dominated for long periods in terms of possession, and they opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Josh Onunseye sprinted down the right wing, went past the defender and got to the byline before looping the ball into the box, and Prince Domafriyie headed it down into the ground from the edge of the six yard box, bouncing past the keeper and into the net. Chatham's best other chances to increase their lead came on 20 minutes, when a goalbound shot was cleared by a defender, and then on 32 minutes, when a powerful header from a corner was excellently tipped onto the bar by the home keeper. But at the break, Little Common were still very much in the game.
And the second half was much more even, and after the visitors saw a vicious shot tipped over the bar on 52 minutes, Little Common got back on level terms on 62 minutes when player-manager Russell Eldridge drilled a low free kick inside the right hand post, with the keeper flat footed and possibly unsighted. And it increasingly looked like the game was heading towards a replay, and based on the second half performance, Little Common deserved that. But they were to be denied a midweek trip to north Kent when the visitors scored what turned out to be the winner on 87 minutes when right back Ike Orji, who was excellent throughout, burst to the byline before drilling the ball into the danger area and after taking a deflection, and sub Matt Bodkin struck the ball home from a central position eight yards out, to break Little Common hearts They never really threatened to equalise for a second time in the closing minutes, and so it was Chatham who progressed to the next round, where they will travel to Colliers Wood United, of the Step 5 Combined Counties League Premier Division South, who performed a minor giantkilling in beating Ishtmian League Division One South outfit Faversham Town yesterday.
Although losing to a late goal will have been disappointing for Little Common in the final result, there was much for the club to be pleased about - hosting a big occasion such as this back on their home ground, earning plenty of revenue through the gate and in the clubhouse, and putting in a very decent performance against higher grade opposition.
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Video highlights of the goals can be viewed by clicking here
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