Crawley Town v Notts County
Crawley’s unbeaten League Two run came to an end after they lost at home to Notts County.
Enzio Boldewijn broke the deadlock for Reds three minutes into the second half with his second goal goal of the season but an own goal by James Collins levelled before Adam Campbell put the visitors ahead on the hour. They sealed victory with a late penalty by Jon Stead.
Reds made one enforced change to the side that drew with Barnet as Josh Yorwerth came in for his first start of the season in place of Josh Payne, who joined Matt Harrold and Jordan Roberts as absentees through injury.
Collins was booked for a fourth-minute challenge on County skipper Michael O’Connor and on a sultry, hot afternoon the initial sparring was fairly cagey.
-minute corner by Jimmy Smith and although Notts had plenty of early possession they failed to test Yusuf Mersin in the opening 20 minutes.thYorwerth glanced a header well wide from a 17
minute when he pushed Collins’ curling effort past the post. Notts cleared the corner and broke swiftly and Jon Stead fired just wide from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box as the contest finally came to life.stCollins would have broken the deadlock had it not been for the agility of County keeper Adam Collin in the 21
Billy Clifford was next to threaten on 27 minutes. Space opened up for him as he ran across the face of the penalty area and although his shot beat Collin, but Louis Laing got back to clear the ball from a yard in front of the goal-line.
Yorwerth was struggling for ten minutes with an ankle problem and was replaced by Mark Connolly on 40 minutes with Alex Davey pushing into central midfield.
The first half had been pretty unforgettable but it soon livened up with three goals in 15 minutes at the start of the second half.
took a pass from Clifford, skipped past a couple of challenges as he darted in from the right and his low drive from 15 yards flew into the bottom right-hand corner.BoldewijnIt took Reds just two minutes to break the deadlock. When County only half-cleared on the edge of their box,
But the lead lasted just four minutes. After Alan Smith and Alex Rodman had been denied by clearances inside the six-yard box Rob Milsom drilled a low ball in from the left and Collins, in trying to clear in front of goal, prodded into the bottom corner instead. The assistant had his flag up for offside but the referee overturned his decision after lengthy consultation.
minute. Jimmy Smith won possession inside the box and found the striker but, with just Collin to beat, his side-foot effort went half a yard the wrong side of the upright.thCollins had his head in his hands again in the 57
produced a lovely finish from the left-hand side of the box, curling his effort past Mersin and inside the far post.CampbellIt proved a costly miss as Notts took the lead on the hour when
Dermot Drummy made an immediate change, bringing on Adi Yussuf for Jason Banton and moments later County defender Carl Dickinson was booked for a foul on Smith. The skipper swung the free kick into the box and when Collin dropped it under pressure from McNerney, Collins volleyed into the empty net but the referee had already blown for a foul on the County keeper.
Reds brought on Bobson Bawling for Clifford with 20 minutes to go and the midfielder had a chance to equalise after good work by Adi Yussuf, but he was flagged offside just as he was set to shoot.
Reds then broke from a County corner through Yussuf. He teed up Davey just inside the box but his effort was deflected for a corner.
drove the penalty into the top corner, giving Mersin no chance.SteadIt looked as if the home side might produce a grandstand finish but four minutes from time Blackman handled the ball as he fell under a challenge from Vadaine Oliver and the referee pointed not surprisingly to the spot.