- Roberts goes closest for Reds
- Dennis (73) and Flores (89) on target for the visitors
- Reds disappointing home form continues
Crawley Town faltered at home once more, as they lost 2-0 to Chesterfield under the lights at the Checkatrade Stadium on Tuesday evening.
The hosts struggled to threaten the Spireites’s back line, with a Jimmy Smith effort and a Jordan Roberts free kick the closest to a Reds goal. The game looked to be heading for a draw, before Kristian Dennis popped up with the opener in the 73rd minute, with a volley at the back post. Misery was compounded just minutes from the whistle, when Jordan Flores fired home from the edge of the box after a swift counter attack.
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There was just one change to the side that earned a point up in Grimsby, with Roberts returning from suspension to replace Ibrahim Meite, who dropped to the bench. The formation remained the same as it was on the weekend, with Harry Kewell opting for a 4-2-3-1 system once again.
Buoyant from the bottom…
Despite going into the game at the foot of the League Two table, Chesterfield began the game looking better than their points tally suggested. They had a superb chance to take an early lead, crafting a decent move despite what looked like a foul on Dannie Bulman, but Mark Connolly made a great block as Andy Kellet looked certain to score. The Reds appeared intent on trying to play some smart football, but struggled to get up the field.
Flickering light...
After 20 minutes had passed, Kewell’s men did get a couple of sights of goal, first when Joe McNerney got forward to meet Roberts’ free kick only to have his effort saved, before the latter’s touch let him down and eradicated the prospect of a one on one with the keeper. The Reds were beginning to wrestle a greater proportion of possession off their opponents and had arguably their best chance 10 minutes prior to the break. Dennon Lewis whipped a low ball to the near post which was met by Roberts, but the forward was stifled by a defender, however the ball fell to Smith whose shot was saved well by Joe Anyon.
Spirited Spireites…
The second half began in similar fashion the first, however this time the visitors managed to find a goal for their efforts. Prior to the opener, Crawley had created little apart from a well saved Roberts free kick and an Enzio Boldewijn cross that flown wide past the crossbar from a tight angle. Glenn Morris produced arguably his finest save of the season with 20 minutes left on the clock, getting down superbly to his right to keep out an effort from Jordan Flores.
Just minutes later and the deadlock was broken, with Kristian Dennis firing home at the back post after the Reds failed to clear a set-piece delivery. Kewell brought on Panutche Camara around the same time as the goal, and his side huffed and puffed but were unable to find a leveller. The result was then etched in stone with only a few minutes left on the clock, when Flores curled home well from the edge of the box after a swift counter attack.
Reds XI: Morris, Lelan, Connolly (Payne, 45), McNerney, Evina, Smith ©, Bulman, Lewis (Camara, 72), Clifford, Boldewijn, Roberts.
Unused subs: Mersin, Doherty, Djalo, Tajbakhsh, Meite.
Attendance: 1,516 (157 away).