2's remain second in the league

Crawley hosted a strong East Grinstead side as second played forth in Sussex Div 2.

Crawley started brightly, Karl Bass making a superb run into the D and firing across a ball that James Fuller did fantastically to turn home at the far post for an early lead. They could have possibly grabbed a second when Rob Payne did well to win the ball in a dangerous area, but just couldn’t find a red shirt to convert.

The game was a close affair, Andy Burton and Liam Mulcahy worked hard to keep control in the middle of the park and the back line of Jay Tee Carter, Indy Saraw, Priyesh Patel, Nick Bennett and Justin Renwick did well to keep EG at bay.
In particular Bennett showed a real desire to win the ball and an attacking threat down the left; in his best performance of an already fantastic season at full back. Behind the defence, Grinstead found keeper Gary Thornton in fine form, he made save after save in an incredible man of the match performance. With him at his best, Crawley managed to weather the EG storm to lead 1-0 at half time.

After the break they began to regain a grip on the game. Seb Watson always looked lively and he teed up Scott Gibbons, but for once he couldn’t convert, not connecting with a simple chance when the goal was gaping. The second goal did come though; Fuller crashing the ball into the D, where Watson did fantastically to take the ball on the run, rounding the keeper and finishing from the angle.

The game became an end to end affair, Thornton making even more saves to deny the opposition and keep a deserved clean sheet. Renwick turned on the skill to spin away and leave the opposition player trailing in his wake, in what was surely his moment of the game. And the game could and probably should have had a third Crawley goal. Payne and Watson combining well down the right to play in Gibbons who saw his first time effort come back off of the post. He then tried to play Mulcahy in from the rebound but lacked the composure to find his team mate for a tap in.

The game finished 2-0, which was a great result for the boys in maroon and sees them remain second in the league.