SWINDON Town saw their unbeaten start to the League Two season come crashing down this afternoon as Crawley Town claimed an emphatic victory at the County Ground.
Town dominated the opening stages but were punished for failing to make that pressure tell on the scoreboard as the visitors took an undeserved lead at the break through Olly Lancashire’s own goal.
The home side were unable to match the intensity they had shown in the first half after the interval, with Crawley capitalising as Swindon’s play began to wane.
Firstly, Jordan Roberts’ doubled the lead with a deflected effort from distance following a swift counter before Jimmy Smith sealed the points, pouncing as Town left gaps at the back with a drilled low effort from the edge of the box.
The result is something of a reality check for David Flitcroft’s new-look Swindon side, who had looked so impressive in gaining seven points from the opening three league matches.
Swindon came racing out of the blocks and went close inside two minutes when Luke Norris headed Chris Hussey’s corner over the bar after Crawley full-back Lewis Young misjudged a high ball.
Kaiyne Woolery then fluffed a chance inside the box when he swiped at fresh air after being picked out by Donal McDermott following a quick throw from Ben Purkiss.
Town were then inches from getting the opening goal their pressure deserved just before the quarter-of-an-hour mark when Lancashire found space in the box to meet a Hussey free-kick but the skipper headed over from six yards when left unmarked.
The home side continued to dictate play and James Dunne broke up play in the middle to spark a counter, which saw Norris thread in Mullin on the right and he fired in a shot that was blocked for a corner.
Another free header from a set-piece – this time from Dion Conroy – then drifted just wide of the Crawley goal before the visitors had their first sight of goal midway through the half. Lancashire's defensive header dropped perfectly for Smith to shoot from 20 yards but he blazed over the top.
Roberts then saw a floated free-kick from the right sail just by the top corner of Lawrence Vigouroux’s goal before the visitors were indebted to the heroics of goalkeeper Glenn Morris for keeping the scores level.
First, the Crawley stopper made a stunning point-blank save from Norris after he brought down McDermott's ball in before the same player was thwarted after pouncing on Hussey’s corner.
After having their backs to the wall for almost the whole game up to that point, Crawley took an undeserved lead 10 minutes before the break. Young whipped a good ball in from the right and as Lancashire duelled with Roberts, the Town skipper seemed to get a push in the back and he could only head into his own net as he fell.
Swindon went close to an instant leveller when Woolery cracked a rasping drive from distance narrowly wide but there was no way back into it before the break.
Town continued to pepper balls forward after the restart but it was Crawley who had the best of the early chances as Cedoric Evina darted down the left and cut the ball back, with Vigouroux out well to close down Oanutche Camara after the home defence did not deal with it.
Swindon’s play began to stagnate and a lovely move from the visitors opened up the home defence, with Roberts combining with Camara in a nice one-two but Vigouroux made a smart stop low down.
The wheels well and truly fell off for home side and Crawley looked most likely to get the next goal, with Dannie Bulman cracking just over the top from the edge of the box following a quick throw.
Play moved from end-to-end in the closing stages, with first Vigouroux denying Camara as he broke clear before Morris clawed away a drilled low effort from Swindon substitute Harry Smith.
Sadly, that save led to Crawley doubling their advantage 11 minutes from time, with Smith feeding Roberts in a swift counter and his low effort from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection, taking it past Vigouroux and into the bottom corner.
Town’s desperation to get forward only resulted in a third Crawley goal in the dying stages, with Bulman cutting the ball back against reduced numbers at the back for the hosts, with Smith drilling in a powerful effort to wrap up the points.
SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux; Purkiss, Conroy, Lancashire, Hussey; McDermott, Dunne (H Smith 78), Linganzi (Taylor 53), Mullin; Norris, Woolery (Brophy 53). Subs not used: Henry, Robertson, Iandolo, T Smith.
CRAWLEY TOWN: Morris, Young, Lelan, Yorwerth Evina; Smith, Bulman; Boldewijn (Meite 81), Cox, Roberts (Lewis 86); Camara (Payne 82). Subs not used: Mersin, McNerney, Tajbakhsh, Verheydt.
Referee: Brett Huxtable
Attendance: 6,613
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel