Men's 2s continue unbeaten home record

Crawley 2’s entered their home game with St Francis looking to defend their unbeaten record at fortress Hazelwick.

The game started at a pace and Crawley were shocked by an early St Francis goal in the opening minute. However, they hit straight back, Man-of-the-Match, Elliott Hooley-Jones breaking down the right and seeing his cut back turned home by the opposition defender. The breathless start wasn’t over and soon Crawley were behind again. Conceding twice in quick succession to trail 3-1.

Crawley began to find their rhythm, the midfield trio of Karl Bass, Oli Hendon and Will Doherty winning the midfield battle and allowing the forwards to create chances. Skipper, Scott Gibbons making the most of a kind break in the D to tap home with the opposition still waiting for an umpire’s whistle. The topsy turvy half wasn’t done yet, Seb Watson dispatching a short corner that looped over the defender’s stick, hit the post and still managed to spin back into the goal.

At half time, Gibbons called for higher intensity and he certainly wasn’t let down in that respect! The game became scrappy, with robust challenges flying in. One of which saw Bass receive a 2 minute break for a green card. The Crawley defence held firm this half, Ian Berry, Matt Park, JayTee Carter, Andy Burton and the hot-headed Indy Saraw winning challenge after challenge to keep St Francis at bay. Goalkeeper, Gary Thornton kept the scores level with an outstanding stick save, just one of many in a good days work for him.

When Bass graced the field again he was able to pick out Hooley-Jones with an aerial who miraculously found another defender to turn home his unplayable cross for a 4-3 lead. James Fuller almost snatched another but couldn’t convert Watson’s pull back, but Crawley did have their 5th soon after. A short corner pinball ended up with Doherty sliding home a reverse stick effort from a tight angle.

The game was heated and fractious and at times threatened to boil over, but hard work across the park; in particular from Mattie Fish in centre mid, saw the Crawley lead intact late into the game and despite conceding a 4th goal, Crawley were able to hold on and take away a hard battled 3 points.

Next week they visit a decent Lewes team in the late push back.

Crawley team: Thornton, Carter, Park, Berry, Saraw, Burton, Bass, Hendon, Doherty, Fish, Fuller, Gibbons(c), Watson, Hooley-Jones