The Crawley Dream Ended For Another Year

I was looking forward to another monumental day in Crawley's history as Premier League side Stoke City came to West Sussex in a clash that would see one of the sides head into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.


A 12pm kick off time meant that instead of the usual shenanigans of wasting a morning waiting for the usual 3pm kick off was out of the window and instead, it was out of bed, shower, change and off to the football.  It was definitely strange to be playing on the Sunday though; Saturday becoming rather boring this week despite a day in listening to Jeff Stelling get excited!


Dad and I entered the stadium at about 10.45 - Probably the earliest I have taken my space in the ground for a Reds game in almost 14 years but it was a big'un so it was acceptable!

Where the action happens - The Broadfield Stadium

The teams were announced, we were exactly as I was expecting; the midfield five with Kyle McFadzean seemingly holding the fort whilst Josh Simpson came into the side at the expense of the cup-tied Billy Clarke.  Steve Evans opting for Tyrone Barnett as the lone soldier up front with Sanchez Watt helping out the striker by playing "in the hole".  The Crawley XI:

26. Rene Gilmartin 

 13. David Hunt  28. Claude Davis  4. Pablo Mills (c)  3. Dean Howell 

5. Kyle McFadzean

 11. Josh Simpson  15.Dannie Bulman  8. Sergio Torres

10. Sanchez Watt 

23. Tyrone Barnett

Stoke looked and sounded as strong as everyone knows they are and named a very experienced side, certainly more of the so called "big names" as I was expecting considering they played Valencia in the Europa League on Thursday and face the return leg at the Mestalla fast approaching.  The Stoke XI:

1. Asmir Begovic

30. Ryan Shotton  17. Ryan Shawcross (c)  20. Matt Upson  5. Danny Collins

6. Glenn Whelan

24. Rory Delap  18. Dean Whitehead  19. Jon Walters

25. Peter Crouch  33. Cameron Jerome

AWKWARD: Crouch started the game

It wasn't long until the packed stadium, basking in the Sussex sun found it's voice as the teams found their way onto the pitch led by captains Pablo Mills and Ryan Shawcross.

The game began and we had the first real half chance when Watt tried to slip a ball into Barnett however the Stoke rearguard just showed the ball out for a goal kick.

It was all Crawley in the opening stages and after a number of attacks were hacked away for corners from the nervous-looking full backs Ryan Shotton and Danny Collins it was Crouch who nearly handed the lead to the home side;  David Hunt's whipped, out-swinging corner was flicked on at the near post from Collins before hitting the gangly striker on the thigh and crack the crossbar in an almost slow-motion action from where I was behind Asmir Begovic's goal.

Soon, Stoke's physicality got the better of them as long throw maestro Rory Delap was shown red from referee Mike Jones as he dived in horrendously (Can you tell I'm slightly biased here?) okay, his 50/50 challenge with Hunt had studs raised and, after Evans was on his feet and on the pitch by the dugout, the card was raised leaving Potters' boss Tony Pulis pacing up the touchline to remonstrate with probably steam coming out of his ears. (To be fair to the referee, word tonight is that Hunt left the ground on crutches so it must be pretty bad).

HIGH: Delap goes in hard on Hunt

The man reduction seemed to galvanise the visitors as they seemed to up the tempo; an impressive counter attack saw Crouch's exquisite volleyed pass (with backspin) found the pacy Cameron Jerome but the former Birmingham City man saw his effort find the side netting.

A period in the home half lasted until Reds made another foray upfield with McFadzean probably suffering a nose bleed being so far in the opponents half as he tried to curl an effort past Begovic that saw the Bosnian 'keeper easily claim.

Crawley felt they should have had a penalty as a high ball in the box saw Barnett rise, get caught in a Shotton-Shawcross sandwich and despite what looked like a stonewall Crawley penalty for a barge in the back, the official saw it differently and (wrongly) gave a free kick to Stoke to the disgust of the home faithful.

The deadlock was soon broken against the run of play as, minutes after the Barnett stonewaller wasn't given the visitors got their own spot kick; Jones adjudging McFadzean of clipping Shawcross before Jon Walters dispatched the penalty to the bottom left of Rene Gilmartin's goal for 1-0 Stoke and the honour of being the first man to find away past the Crawley side in this year's FA Cup.

O-PEN-ER: Walters fires home

Five minutes later and the referee blew for half time as the Red Devils' fans applauded their team off and Potters' supporters booed the man in the middle off the field of play.

After the refreshments of oranges and Lucozade were finished both sets of players were back out and it didn't take Pulis' side long to find a second goal as Glenn Whelan's free kick saw Crouch tower above Claude Davis at the back post to loop his header past Gilmartin and into the top corner of the net.  Unfortunately he failed to bring his famed "Robot" dance out to play once again which was a bit of a disappointment

Crouch celebrates scoring his side's second goal

As the old saying goes "2-0 is always a dangerous score" and many believed that we still had a chance to get back into the game and, as Stoke seemed to take their foot off the gas, Watt saw his left footed drive swerve just over Begovic's goal as Crawley looked for an instant reply.

Wave after wave of attack came from the hosts as Watt in particular was finding more space, left back Howell was pushing forward and substitute Scott Neilson who came on for the injured Hunt using his electric pace and causing Danny Collins problems as Josh Simpson slotted into Hunt's available right back spot.

Josh Simpson gets stuck into Glenn Whelan

It was Neilson himself who saw his lofted cross deflect onto the bar and out for the corner as Begovic was left hanging onto his cross piece and his clean sheet.

The next chance fell to McFadzean who somehow found himself lurking in the box but, although he should of shot decided to pass across the six yard box but Barnett failed to get on the end of it and the ball was cleared towards the head of Crouch.

The in-affective Jerome was replaced by defender Andy Wilkinson in a move that Pulis used to withstand the heavy Crawley pressure.

A long ball from Stoke (Yes you did read this right) found Crouch who superbly plucked the ball from out of the air with the end of his size thirteen's before sending the ball over the Bruce Winfield Stand and into orbit to chants of "He's tall, he's s**t, he doesn't fit his kit Peter Crouch Peter Crouch!" - I'm going to admit, I found this strangely enjoyable!

One more chance fell to Crawley as Tyrone Barnett saw his acrobatic bicycle kick hand-balled off the line from visiting left back Collins but somehow ref Jones didn't give another penalty and that was that.

AIRBORNE: Barnett tries his luck

To conclude, it was another proud day to be a Red and well worth coming home to see the game.

To be honest I felt we were the better side throughout and the statistics prove that however, the only important stat is the scoreline.

Onto the league though and, I'm confident that if we play as we did today every week we will be in the automatic promotion mix come May.

There's always next year!

Now lets win promotion.

COYRs!


Photos courtesy of www.crawleytownfc.com 

Barnett Crashes In Late Equaliser At The Kassam

We departed for the Kassam Stadium at 11.30am hoping to return to Sussex with the three points. I’ve always enjoyed my trips watching us play at Oxford, a nice big ground with a large playing surface meant I was practically pining that we would play with width during the journey up there which seemed to take longer than normal. After parking, the four of us quickly scuttled in between the home supporters to join the large away following in the bowling alley’s bar and after a quick pint of cider decided to get a bite to eat and the (Scandalously) over-priced match-day tickets. On queueing for my chips, word was quickly going round that Matt Tubbs, our top scorer was out of the game due to a groin injury meaning that John Akinde was given a start.

Similarly to the Gillingham game, Steve Evans decided to use the diamond formation (A midfield formation that never actually works as we lack width). Once again, Kyle McFadzean was sitting behind Sergio Torres and Josh Simpson in midfield with Hope Akpan being used as the driving attacking midfielder. Tubbs and injured ex-Oxford midfielder Dannie Bulman, along with defender Glenn Wilson soon joined the 600-strong Crawley fans in the stand.

Hope-ing For More: Akpan made a rare start

We started well. In a first half that seemed to fly by saw the visitors have the majority of the possession and chances with the misfiring Akinde although probably playing his best 45 minutes in a Red Devils shirt, being the culprit of the majority of efforts that either sailed wide or whistled over the bar. Also in the first half, the (poor) referee Brendan Malone booked Torres, Dean Howell and Akinde in quick succession for their first fouls. Yellows’ right back Damian Batt was already booked before he felled Torres however, Malone, (wrongly) just decided to have a word for the marauding defender. The view from the Reds supporters at half time was that “Oxford are poor”, “We’re playing well and just need the rub of the green” and “They’re there for the taking” following a largely dominant first forty five by the away side.

Second half began and we continued our high tempo.  Effort of the season let alone effort of the match was from Torres, who’s bicycle kick from about 20 yards was tipped over the bar from U’s ‘keeper Ryan Clarke. Jon-Paul Pittman, who iliterally three weeks before was playing for us on loan from Oxford was then introduced to the fray by boss Chris Wilder with the in-effective Tom Craddock being replaced. It wasn’t long before Pittman came back to haunt us as, after Reds’ goalkeeper Scott Shearer decided to take a touch after a back pass, smashed the ball straight into Pittman who simply slotted into the empty net from an acute angle.

Spectacular: Torres attempted his bicycle kick...

... Before Pittman came back to haunt his former side by slotting in

From here, Oxford looked to make the game safe; Alfie Potter had a chance when through on goal and, despite under pressure from David Hunt got his shot away but Shearer held on. It was starting to turn into end-to-end stuff in Oxfordshire as Tyrone Barnett had a good chance but despite being in a good position found the top corner… of the stand (honestly was row Z stuff). Crawley’s Claude Davis was up top with Barnett by this stage leaving Crawley with just three at the back as Evans’ side looked to snatch an equaliser and Oxford’s James Constable was next to test Shearer but saw his left footed drive palmed out for a corner.

Fans: Reds supporters were celebrating at the end

Minutes later Crawley had another chance; Scott Neilson, who had replaced Akinde midway through the second half saw his low cross find Barnett sliding in, however somehow the former Macclesfield striker saw his shot saved by the legs of Clarke.With thirty seconds or normal time remaining and four minutes of added time looming the visitors from Sussex grabbed an equaliser as McFadzean’s hooked ball looped over centre back Michael Duberry allowing Barnett to let the ball bounce before slamming the ball past Clarke and into the top corner of the net with his left foot sending the 621 away fans loopy.

Barnett smashes home

To conclude… the case of swings and roundabouts strikes again as although we were dominant for the majority of the game we were 1-0 down, kept battling and grabbed a late equaliser – the least we deserved. Dissapointed with Oxford to be honest. Expected more from a club that is sitting just one position outside the play-offs. For us, it could be a vital point come the end of the season and we look forward to the tie at home to Bristol City in The FA Cup on Saturday.


Photos courtesy of www.crawleytownfc.com