Little Common produce brilliant comeback to progress in FA Cup

Little Common produced a superb second half comeback to progress into the first qualifying round of the FA Cup with a 3-2 victory over Stansfeld on Saturday.
Russell Eldridge scored for Little Common in their FA Cup winRussell Eldridge scored for Little Common in their FA Cup win
Russell Eldridge scored for Little Common in their FA Cup win

Common were forced into a number of changes due to unavailability and suspension so Adam Smith led the line up front with Ryan Paul partnering Lewis Parsons at the centre of the defence.

Common got off to the perfect start taking the lead in the 7th minute through a Russell Eldridge penalty after Sam Ellis had been upended in the box. The hosts looked for an immediate response and saw a header flash over Matt Cruttwell's bar before drawing level in the 16th minute when a quick break was swept into the far corner of the net from the edge of the area.

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The turn around was complete in the 28th minute when Stansfeld converted a penalty of their own when Ollie Weeks was penalised for a foul on the edge of the area.

They almost extended their lead immediately but James Miriam-Batchelor was on hand to head a clearance off the line and keep Common in the game. At the other end Smith saw an effort clear the crossbar before Freddie Warren danced his way into the area and fired just wide of the far post.

Shooting downhill in the second half, the Commoners began brightly and Smith thought he had equalised only to be adjudged offside. The equaliser duly arrived in the 58th minute with Smith this time beating the offide trap and slotting past the home stopper.

Warren continued to cause problems for the home defence and following a late challenge on the Common winger the hosts were reduced to ten men. This gave Common the impetus to push forward and the winning goal arrived in the 72nd minute when Eldridge's free kick took a slight deflection at the near post before nestling into the net.

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Eldridge saw another free kick whistle past the post whilst the Commom defence dealt comfortably with the aerial threat of the Stansfeld substitutions. Deep into injury time Weeks made a vital interception at the back post and Common saw out the remaining minutes to bool their place in tje next round.

Squad: Cruttwell, Clark, Weeks, Eldridge, Paul, Parsons, Feakins, Miriam-Batchelor, Smith, Warren, Ellis.

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