CRAWLEY’S UNBEATEN RUN ENDED
JOHN SHERIDAN saluted a fine team performance as Notts County ended Crawley’s unbeaten start to the season.
The Magpies were comfortable winners at the Checkatrade Stadium as they came back from a goal down for the second successive week to claim all three points.
Enzio Boldewijn had given Crawley the lead but Notts hit back through a James Collins own goal to equalise.
Adam Campbell then hit a sumptuous second before Jon Stead wrapped up the win from the penalty spot at the death.
The result lifted Notts up the table to 11th and Sheridan was pleased with what he witnessed.
“I thought it was a good performance,” he said.
“They were second in the league and going really well so I knew it was going to be tough.
“But I thought we were always in the game in very difficult conditions because the pitch was really slow and dry.
“I told the players at half-time that the three points were there if they wanted them.
“We needed to play it forward quicker, but then we came out in the second half and conceded a shocker of a goal which is like us.
“But I think the goal gave us a kick up the backside and from then on I thought we were the much stronger team.”
Notts’ victory ended Crawley’s excellent start to the campaign although they were forced into a change just before half-time as Josh Yorwerth went off injured. They shrugged off that disappointment to take the lead in the 47th minute when Boldewijn cut in from the right and buried a shot into the bottom corner.
But instead of going on to reinforce that advantage, Notts got back into the game when Collins prodded Michael O’Connor’s cross into his own net.
Campbell then produced a superb finish from an O’Connor pass to bag his first goal of the season.
Crawley tried to salvage their unbeaten start but they were left on the end of a defeat when Andre Blackman handled as Thierry Audel charged into the box.
Stead made no mistake from the spot, but Crawley boss Dermot Drummy was keen not to be too downhearted with the result. He said: “It’s very important we stick together as a group, because this is our first defeat of the season, so let’s not forget that. “Everybody has been saying how well we have done to put 18 players together, but I thought the attitude was fantastic. “I thought we didn’t have the power in us at times and we need to sign a midfielder before the deadline this week. “We’ve just got to regroup and take it on the chin. We gave two goals away that we shouldn’t have done.” Crawley (4-4-2): Mersin 6, Young 6, Davey 6, Boldwewijn 7, Smith 6, Banton 5 (Yussuf 62 6), Blackman 5, Yorwerth 6 (Connolly 41 6), Clifford 7 (Bawling 70 6) Collins 6, McNerney 6 Subs not used: Beeney, Arthur, Tajbakhsh, Pappoe Notts County (4-4-1-1): Collin 6, Tootle 6, Duffy 6, Laing 6, Dickinson 7, Rodman 6, O’Connor 7, Smith 6 (Audel 68 6), Campbell 8, Stead 7 (Snijders 6 89), Milsom 6 (Oliver 71 6) Subs not used: Loach, Hollis, Aborah, Burke