Mens 1's Vs Blackheath & OE's

Kent Sussex 1

Crawley Mens 1's 2 vs 4 Blackheath and OE's

Crawley faced a trip to a Blackheath side who with a victory would clinch the league title. Crawley welcoming back a few players to the squad knew it would be another good test but with the season running down and Crawley still needing 4 points to make sure of survival it would be an important afternoon for both sides.

The first half was very even with both sides creating chances but it was the home side who took the lead after a deflection at the back post made it 1-0. But Crawley struck back fairly quickly when a Crawley short corner was dispatched by Fuller through the keepers legs to make it 1-1. Crawley could have took the lead straight away with a good Arial from Fuller down Crawleys right found Seb Watson his first touch beat the last defender squared the ball to Gate but he couldn't quite find a way past the Blackheath keeper. But it was Blackheath again that took the lead through a short corner which was well taken 2-1 Blackheath. The game then got very tense and scrappy as Blackheath thought they were being unfairly treated by the umpires. They felt even more aggrieved was the ball in from Karl Bass found James Murphy and with a man holding the bottom of his leg for some reason he managed to turn him and beat the keeper to make it 2-2. Crawley stepped it up and Blackheath were becoming more and more frustrated and Crawley again had a couple of good chances to get ahead but couldn't quite manage it against a Blackheath defense featuring ex gb and England international Calum Giles. Blackheath got themselves a short corner on the stroke of half time which they managed to some how find a way past the Crawley defense to make it 3-2 at half time.

the second half was again scrappy with both sides having good chances but not managing to put them away. The home side were getting more and more upset with the umpiring and this lead of a few of them being sent to the sin bin for trying to umpire the game. With time ticking away it was Blackheath who managed to get a final goal with only a few minutes left as the attack ran around the top of the circle with a few players blocking crawley defenders he managed to hit a shot past westwood to make it 4-2.

Captain Alex Watson said"The will know they were in a game today they did not like how we played and we took it to them for a lot of the first half we were unfortunate to go into the break behind after probably being the better side. We looked to exploit the weaknesses they had at the back with what seemed a lack of pace and caused them a lot of problems through out the game. But it was a better performance from us today and we pushed them as hard as anyone else has in the league and for a while they looked at breaking point. We need to keep fighting hard to try to ensure our survival in a league that we defiantly feel we should be in pretty much all the games we have played this year we have been in and alot we were a decision or bit of brilliance away from all three points. We knew it would be a tough season and we need to make sure we dont let the brilliant start we had go to waste in the coming weeks".

Team

Jamie Westwood, Mark Brightwell, Hasan Yousaf, Rob Gate , Alex Watson(c), Brendan Maccaoilte, Alex Keane, Reece Banton, Steve Innes, Kieran Fuller, Seb Watson.

Subs

James Murphy
Carl Wright
Karl Bass