Crawley Town 1 Stockport County 1 ( Football League 2 ) Monday 18 March 2024

 

 

 

County flattered to deceive against Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium tonight allowing their opponents to nick a late goal and a share of the points that had looked nobbut a pipe dream up until then for the Sussex outfit.

This was extremely disappointing as the blues had nullified everything Crawley had to offer and shown plenty themselves in the first half, if with a familiar absence of razor-sharp finishing where it mattered.

Then, having established the required bridgehead at 0-0 at half time, County emerged looking likely to turn their opponents over in the second 45, emphasised precisely when Kane`s inch perfect corner ( won by Richards) saw Sarsevic rise beyond the far post to head home through a crowd of players to put the blues 1-0 up.

Sadly Richards had to be substituted at that point, having taken a knock earlier- he was replaced by Madden so that was like for like but that could not be said for at least one of the later subbings that had the effect of undermining County`s momentum and boosting Town`s.

Byrne for Bailey was a glaring example of sending our opponents a `come on…..attack us ` sign, and that`s exactly what they did and within 7 minutes of that personnel change and 2 minutes of Tanto being substituted, Crawley had their goal and the point that they looked not at all likely to get until that moment just 7 minutes from the end of the 90.

It is definitely possible to argue that one point against a side that had lost just one of the last 5, was good going, but 3 would have set us up nicely for MK Franchise`s visit on Saturday- now Saturday is  a hill that much harder to climb.

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There was a big crowd inside Broadfield Stadium at kick off time- all 3 of the home stands were packed, and the away end was buzzing with 451 Stopfordian souls split twixt the covered terrace behind the goal and a corner of the adjacent stand.

Crawley seemed to have taken architectural hints from the Barrow matrix …………….

 

 

 

 

 

………………..but I nitpick as the stadium looked pretty good really and to be fair the `Fan Zone` was a decent effort and we were again allowed in with home specs to the `Reds Bar` so it all started rather well!

And I liked the team that DS sent out- Kane and Richards were in along with Touray, and Knight was on the bench which I thought was interesting!

Kellan Gordon was first to show for Crawley getting an early cross in down the right, but County`s cover remained intact in response as the noise from the away end threatened to remove the roof off the terrace when County quickly responded forcing a corner that saw Richards test home keeper Corey Addai with an effort from close in.

County were showing up well and dominating much of the possession ,winning another corner 7 minutes in but then making a right old Horlicks of it as the ball finished up being played back to Hinchliffe who then promptly sliced his clearance to Harry Forster way out on the left wing- thankfully `Horlicks` was back in vogue and Forster almost hit us in the seated area with his shot.

Our greatest moments of peril and danger should not be at our end from our corners or free kicks – we needed to have learned that lesson without further delay!

Then, we were tempted to forget that momentary aberration as Sarcevic was on the ball and looking in imperious nick as he drifted inside. A shot looked on, but he delayed the moment until finally hitting a disappointing effort over the bar.

Jay Mukena headed over for Crawley within a minute, but County remained in the driving seat – Tanto drifting left mostly and looking good, but beyond the 15 minute mark and there was still no breakthrough.

There perhaps should have been one 2 minutes later but this time it was Camps who set himself up well before dwelling over getting a shot off….not doing so then leaving it to Wootton whose effort was comfortably saved by Addai!

It continued with the blues attacking…..Richards` dinking the ball in but narrowly missing Sarcevic with it.

A Crawley free kick and a booking for Pye briefly put pressure on County only for a great block from Richards to save the day and stop Darcy making anything of it.

Then County went on the attack again – Camps desperately unlucky with a shot that had Addai clutching helplessly at fresh air as the ball fizzed passed him sadly missing out by inches!

There was a hint of a response from Town who sneaked a somewhat fortunate corner seeing any chance vanish rapidly from this via Hinchliffe`s initial punch and then Tanto`s rapidly effective action in clearing the danger.

Back came County and I swear they should have had a penalty as Sarcevic was scythed down in the box – but Mr Russell was not in the vicinity and not interested in County`s appeals.

Still County kept their foot down, the ball flying from Wootton to Bailey who was then crowded out by an army of red shirts in the box…...Sarcevic in the mix then stealing possession but then failing to by-pass Addai with his deft dink.

It looked a procession towards Addai`s goal, and then momentarily it didn`t as we took our eye off the ball allowing Danilo Orsi time on it. Not much time admittedly but enough for him to get a shot off and it was a belter that required an exceptional save by Hinchliffe to keep it out!

We had again been warned!

Three or four minutes of indifferent play followed from County with half time approaching as they conceded a couple of corners. Crawley made nothing of either, but Gordon did rather better, getting a decent shot in that Hinchliffe did well to save with his legs.

County steadied their ship in what remained of the half, Sarcevic combining with Camps who sent another shot inches wide- the half ending with it still 0-0. 

 

 

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For Half Time Entertainment - Bad Finger- Baby Blue

https://youtu.be/xbILy-bCN4M?si=Wb3N2ktCsD5R3X4s

 

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Into the second half then, and County went onto the attack withTouray twice nicking possession and darting up the park in encouragingly lively fashion- nothing came from either sortie, but I was encouraged.

The blues persevered- Richards unlucky to see a shot go narrowly wide with Addai beaten.

And the pressure continued the ball flying from Wootton to Sarcevic – Crawley`s bacon saved in improbable fashion by Will Wright- an amazing block!

On…on it went Richards finding Wootton forcing Addai to make a vital save with his legs before mayhem ensued in the home box where both Sarcevic and Tanto saw efforts kept out at the last gasp by desperate defenders.

It has to be said that County were enduring some ludicrous offside decision around this point and I was still seething at this when, on the hour , Richards won us a corner- it was an inch perfect beauty from Kane and by passed everyone barring Sarcevic who lurked beyond the far post. It was 1-0 in a heartbeat as the header from Sarcevic nestled in the net behind Addai`s back!

That was excellent- it was less so that Richards had then to be replaced by Madden having taken a knock earlier.

But the chances continued to come County`s way -Bailey firing a shot over the bar – Tanto failing to force Touray`s cross home smack in front!

The home defence looked shell shocked completely under the cosh- finding touch perceived as a frequent way out of their difficulties.

We saw perhaps 2 maybe 3 minutes of pressure from Crawley after that last action- Pye centre stage with a couple of vital clearances but a foul by an over excited red shirted forward ended the pressure from Town.

It was at this point ( 77 minutes in) that Byrne was brought on for Bailey.

I was puzzled…..Crawley meanwhile seemed to sense they could get something from this and with Tanto off also ( replaced by Evans) on 81 minutes-went close from a corner.

County needed to be putting pressure on their opponents but instead were defending deep now and one clearance by Touray midst this pressure spiralled upwards into the damp Sussex night coming down not far from Klaidi Lolos who then lashed the ball home with some venom.

It was 1-1, Crawley were    cock a hoop, County now had 7 minutes and some added time to survive with a point.

It was mostly Crawley in the minutes that remained of normal time- County doing well to keep a growing number of red assaults on goal out.

County did come back at Crawley with added time just called- a notional chance created via a free kick- but somehow Addai and a clutch of home defenders kept the blues out- County denied as Byrne`s cross cum shot was ushered wide – Addai saving Wootton`s header after the corner fell to Madden.

The remainder of added time saw County defending, whilst Town did their utmost to nick the winner.

It would not have been too much of a surprise had they done so but County held out for the point that only churlish curmudgeons would deny them.

It could and maybe should have been 3 but we return to Edgeley Park on Saturday still second in the division with our destiny, in terms of promotion this season, still in our own hands!

 I have been more critical than usual in this report, mostly about today`s substitutions, or some of them.

You might say that I am far from being `always right` and you would be correct saying that, so I happily await Saturday and MK`s arrival in SK3 knowing that Dave Challinor`s record shows that he will invariably get things right so lets let him get on with the job and support the team in the games ahead!

 

Crawley Town line up:-

Addai , Gordon ( Adeyemo 69), Maguire , Mukena , Wright , Forster( Tsaroulla 87) , Williams , Darcy( Campbell 69) , Lolos , Kelly ( Roles 54), Orsi.

Subs not used : Sandford , Ransom , Khaleel.

 

Stockport County line up :-

Hinchliffe , Kane ( Cass 81) , Horsfall , Pye , Touray , Camps , Sarcevic, Bailey ( Byrne 77) , Richards ( Madden 62) , Wootton , Olaofe ( Evans 81).

Subs not used: Smith , Hippolyte ,Knight.

 

Attendance: 3339 ( 451)

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