IT’S NEVER OVER TILLEY IT’S OVER...
CRAWLEY head coach John Yems hailed a dramatic stoppage-time goal from James Tilley which gave the Reds their first home league win in nine weeks.
Yems’ men had not won since upsetting Leeds United 3-0 in the FA Cup third round, but Tilley settled the issue with his first goal for the club.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get the three points. It’s been a tough couple of weeks but this was a much-improved performance,” said Yems.
“We’ve had players coming back from Covid and new players coming in, but it ran our way and we thoroughly deserved it.”
Tilley, released by Grimsby Town, produced a fine low finish after neat build up play, and Yems added:
“He took it well with his weaker right foot. It is another three points away from relegation as far as I’m concerned and credit to the boys.”
Crawley, without a win in their previous five home league games, suffered a early injury blow when left-back Tom Dallison was forced off with a foot injury.
The Reds then survived a scare when Aramide Oteh raced through after a slip by Jack Powell and keeper Glenn Morris made an important block in a one-on-one situation.
Morris later parried a close range shot from Omar Sowunmi, before Powell drilled a low freekick narrowly wide of keeper Dean Gerken’s right- hand post.
Colchester had a scare when an sliced attempted clearance by Sowunmi came back off a post.
Morris kept the U’s at bay ten minutes after the break by producing a fine one-handed save to keep out a fierce drive from Oteh, making his first start on loan from QPR.
Both sides made double substitutions but clear-cut chances were at a premium, although keeper Gerken made a double save from Ashley Nadesan and Tilley.
And Tilley won it in the third minute of stoppage time when he shot low into the net following a pass by Tom Nichols.
Colchester have now gone 12 games without a win, their last victory coming at Scunthorpe on December 8, and head coach Steve Ball felt they lost to a
“suckerpunch goal.” He said: “I genuinely feel the fans’ pain. We went into the game feeling we could have won it. It is a real disappointment, but if you don’t score you don’t win games.”
Ball was dismayed at the manner of his side’s defending when Tilley struck the winner and added: “We should have defended it better. We didn’t and in the end it cost us. It was a game of no real quality on a hard pitch.
“But we have to remain positive. We can’t dwell on this one as there is so many games coming up.”