Crawley gave the game the start it deserved, pressing from the first whistle. Skipper Scott Gibbons winning the ball in the opening seconds, dancing through the challenges but his shot could only find the keeper’s foot. Crawley continued at a pace, Karl Bass, Matt Park and Man-of-the-match Hammad Jalal providing an attacking impetus in the centre of midfield and Priyesh Patel sweeping up the danger behind them.

However, the fast start heeded no goals and Worthing grew into the game. The defence of Ian Berry, Ollie Robinson and Indy Saraw were put under increasing pressure and goalkeeper Lewis Cordingley was excellent when called upon.

A change in shape saw Crawley gain dominance again but they were still not at their fluid best. Dom Stowell and Andy Burton gave a renewed vigour to the attacks and the wide midfielders Rob Payne and Nick Bennett began to prove more of a problem for the opposition. Finally a Crawley breakthrough came; Bass miscuing a shot which the gleeful Gibbons stabbed home through a crowd of bodies. Like buses, a long wait for one goal, saw a second follow straight afterwards. Bass pummelling a short corner through the Worthing keeper for a 2-0 half time lead.

The second half saw Crawley lose their discipline. Their play sometimes sloppy and their tempers short. Saraw saw yellow for his reaction to a foul and not long later he was joined on the sidelines by Bennett who received a green his sliding challenge; again in retaliation to a foul. However Crawley did regain their composure again and Bass thundered another short through the keeper to make it 3-0.

Crawley looked determined to extend their lead. Going close through Payne’s smashed effort which was saved at the near post and then again when Gibbons hammered two hits goalward. The first saved by the keeper and the second just wide. Eventually the forth goal did come. Bennett finding Gibbons in the D who helped it on to Stowell who turned home.

The result sees Crawley remain second, with a rearranged fixture against Mid Sussex to come tomorrow (Sunday).

Crawley squad- Gibbons, Cordingley, Berry, Robinson, Saraw, Patel, Bennett, Payne, Jalal, Park, Bass, Burton, Stowell
MOM : Jalal
DOD: Check out photos 97-99