Little Common 5 v 3 Worthing United

Tuesday 12th September 2023, Kick-off 19.30

Sussex Senior Cup Round One
Little Common Recreation Ground, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 72

For this week's midweek action, I planned a double of visits to Sussex Senior Cup within the confines of Bexhill-on-Sea, starting with this game tonight, for what would be my second visit to Little Common Recreation Ground inside three days, having watched Bexhill United Ladies play their home Women's FA Cup game there.

On paper, this game represented an excellent chance to progress for the home side, with the visitors plying their trade in the division below. And Little Common have made a steady start to their sixth consecutive season in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, winning four and drawing two of their eight league games so far, although they went into this game off the back of a thumping 7-1 defeat at 100%'ers Steyning Town. Worthing United are in their sixth season in the Southern Combination League Division One, and have made a decent start,  winning four and drawing two of their seven League games so far. 

On a warm and initially sunny evening, Little Common made a flying start to this game, opening the scoring inside the first minute when Jack McLean twisted and turned on the left wing before driving infield and firing the ball across the keeper and into the far corner. And they doubled their lead with just seven minutes on the clock when, following a corner, the loose ball was driven home by Freddie Warren. And they made it three on 37 minutes when a shot by Warren was blocked and the ball spilled to Lewis Hole who drilled the ball from just inside the area into the top right corner. And holding their three goal lead at half time, this game already seemed all but settled.

However, Worthing United were much improved after the break, and they pulled a goal back on 55 minutes, when the ball was lobbed towards goal, the keeper couldn't claim the ball and Daniel George Kingston bundled the ball home. And they pulled another goal back two minutes later, when the ball was played forward for Taylor Harding fired the ball across the keeper and into the net. The game suddenly and unexpectedly looked very much back in the balance, with the next goal crucial. That did not come until the 82nd minute, and it was Little Common who scored it, when the ball was crossed low from the left and Jamie Crone clipped the ball deftly at the near post past the keeper and into the net. And two minutes later, the hosts made absolutely sure of progression when Crone scored again when the ball was played forward and with the keeper slow to come out, Crone slotted the ball home on the run. As the game entered added on time, a Little Common shot was rifled against the bar, but in the third minute of added on time, the visitors pulled a goal back when Kingston just managed to stay onside as he ran forward before driving the ball across the keeper and into the net. And so in the end Little Common sealed progression to the round, fairly comfortably in the end.