Tasty treat served up by town rivals

LITTLE COMMON 2

BEXHILL UNITED 3

The Commoners took the honours

in both Sussex County Football

League Division Three

matches between the two clubs during

April.

But this time it was Bexhill's

turn to earn local bragging rights

after a niggly Hastings & District FA

Senior Cup preliminary round tie.

Their manager Paul Tuppenney

said: "We could have been out of it

at half time, but we seem to get

stronger as the game goes on and

the lads did themselves proud

again."

Little Common fielded the same

starting line-up as that which beat

Forest 6-1 on Saturday, while Dan

Cruickshank replaced the unavailable

Peter Heritage in United's only

change.

Adie Kettyles and Jared Lusted

had spurned gilt-edged chances for

Common and Warren Parsons went

just too high for Bexhill during the

opening 20 minutes.

The deadlock was broken in

freak fashion on 25 minutes,

Richard Anderson's cross from the

left against his former club sailing

over visiting goalkeeper Aaron

Heritage and into the net.

But Will Dunstall got United

back on level terms within eight

minutes of the second half getting

under way by converting Nicky

Stiles' through ball.

Dunstall went close for Bexhill

and Hole did likewise for Common

before David Harris prodded

United into a 69th minute lead.

Parsons was shown his second

yellow card for kicking out at Chris

Steward two minutes later and

Common felt Tuppenney should

have gone too after Stuart Weston

was left flat out on the floor.

Josh Brown then struck the post

for the home side and Kettyles' follow-

up was cleared off the line by

ex-Commoner Kingsley Parsons.

Stiles hit an upright at the other

end prior to the dangerous Dunstall

giving Bexhill a two-goal cushion

by nodding Harris' 84th minute

centre into an empty net.

Weston gave Common hope by

bundling in their 90th minute second

goal and Hole flashed a trademark

left-footed effort just wide in

stoppage time.

But United, with Tuppenney

outstanding at the back, held on to

secure a semi-final trip to Division

One neighbours Sidley United on a

date to be announced.

Common joint manager Mark

Linch commented: "They took

their chances better than us and

they just seemed that bit more passionate."

Little Common: Shoesmith, Lister, Anderson

(Quinn), Weston, S. Mote, Collins, Brown,

Matthews (B. Eldridge), Hole, Kettyles,

Lusted (Steward). Sub not used: C. Eldridge.

Bexhill: A. Heritage, W. Parsons, Hempe, K.

Parsons, Cruickshank, Cuddington, Harris,

Quigley, Tuppenney, Winfield (N. Stiles),

Dunstall. Subs not used: J. Stiles, Kelly.