Crawley 1-1 Rovers
February 2013 at Broadfield Stadium, CrawleythMonday, 18
Npower League 1
Crawley Town 1 DONCASTER ROVERS 1
Referee - Mr Andy D’Urso
Attendance – 3,267 (356 visitors)
A fine day brought a fine evening, albeit a cold one, for the live showing of the match at Crawley Town on Sky Sports Television. The Rovers starting line-up showed two changes, Lee Fowler coming in for Martin Woods, who drops to the bench and James Harper replacing Andy Griffin, injured. The home team made just one change following their loss at Scunthorpe United, Dannie Bulman replacing Mike Jones, who drops to the bench. Ex-Rovers full back Mustapha Dumbuya starts against his old club. The Rovers defended the North Stand where their supporters were housed.
The home team set the ball rolling leaving the teams to sound each other out in the early minutes. In the 4th minute the home team won a corner but nothing came from it. General midfield play ensued over the next ten minutes as each side sought to get on top. Then a spate of free kicks for both sides either side of the quarter hour brought no rewards. In the 23rd minute, Crawley attacked down their right, with Proctor and Clarke playing 1-2s to give Clarke a shot at goal but he fired wide of the far post. However, two minutes later, the 25th minute, and following a Rovers attack that broke down, Adams, for the home team got away down their left. A pass inside led to a shot that was kicked away by Rob Jones at full stretch, with the ball going to SIMPSON, who rocketed his shot into the net from 25yards. The Rovers almost hit back two minutes later Cotterill and Coppinger linked up on the right, with Coppinger getting in a strike from inside the angle of the penalty area that struck the outside of the far post. Past the half hour and following a corner on the Crawley right, played to Simpson on the edge of the area but he tamely put wide. Although the Rovers were playing well enough they hadn’t troubled Paul Jones in the Crawley goal up to the 40minute mark. Then Simpson received an injury and was replaced by Torres. In the 43rd minute came an equaliser for the Rovers when a great cross from Cotterill, on the right, to the far post was met by a diving header from HUSBAND into the net.
Half Time – Crawley Town 1 Doncaster Rovers 1
The opening ten minutes was pretty scrappy stuff, with neither side settling on the ball. Then, in the 57th minute, Torres ended a Crawley attack by shooting high over the bar. Past the hour and Dumbuya robbed Husband halfway in the Rovers half on the Crawley right, took the ball to the byline before shooting for the near post but Woods caught the ball well. In the 65th minute, Dumbuya crossed from the Crawley right to the far post where Proctor put wide. The Rovers were on the rack at this time but they withstood everything thrown at them including three corners and some good footwork by Clarke, which took him into the penalty area on the right but his left footed effort went wide of the far post. The last ten minutes came up, with the referee’s book coming out of his pocket at regular intervals. In the 85th minute Clarke again cut in from the right but his left foot shot again flashed well past the far post. Then, as four minutes of added time came up, the Rovers moved forward in an attempt to snatch the other two points. A free kick just outside the penalty area from Cotterill was put out for a corner, which was headed around in the area before being cleared. Another corner to the Rovers saw Jones penalised for a foul. The Rovers kept the game in the opposition half and when the referee’s whistle went they celebrated the winning of a hard earned point.
Result – Crawley Town 1 (Simpson 25) Doncaster Rovers 1 (Husband 43)
Teams – Crawley Town – Paul Jones; Mustapha Dumbuya, Mark Connolly, Joe Walsh, Matt Sadler; Nicky Adams, Matthew Sparrow, Josh Simpson ©, Dannie Bulman; Billy Clarke, Jamie Proctor
Subs used – Sergio Torres for Simpson 43 mins;
Subs not used – Connor Essam, , David Hunt, Aiden O’Brien, Lateef Elford-Alliyu, Mike Jones, Johnny Maddison gk
Caution – Clarke 84 mins; Proctor 89 mins; Connolly 90 mins;
ROVERS – Gary Woods; Paul Quinn, Jamie McCombe, Rob Jones ©, Tommy Spurr; David Cotterill, Lee Fowler, James Harper, James Husband; James Coppinger; Billy Paynter,
Subs used – Kyle Bennett for Fowler 75 mins;
Subs not used – Martin Woods, Liam Wakefield, Emile Sinclair, Jordan Ball, Harry Middleton, Jon Maxted gk
Cautions – McCombe 45 mins; Fowler 45+2 mins; Paynter 68 mins; Husband 86 mins;