Yems hails rare home success for gutsy Reds

JOHN Yems praised Crawley’s team spirit as the Reds beat Swindon to register only their third win in the last 14 home league games.

Tom Nichols and substitute Isaac Hutchinson struck late goals to end Crawley’s run of three defeats.

John Davison cancelled out Kwesi Appiah’s opener for Crawley shortly after the break, but Crawley dented Swindon’s play-off hopes and silenced 1,000 travelling fans.

Head coach Yems said: “It is a compliment to all the lads and it shows the togetherness we have.

“On their day, Swindon are a better footballing side than us, but you have to play to your strengths. We couldn’t turn it into a possession game.

“We looked a bit jaded from Tuesday (a 2-1 defeat at Exeter) but this win is what you get for sticking together.”

Before the game, Yems had appealed to fans to make it “horrible for other teams to come and play”.

Jonny Williams drove an early chance wide for Swindon and Crawley keeper Glenn Morris later dived to pushed away a low shot from Ryan East.

Crawley, who had Jack Powell hobble off after only 12 minutes, threatened through Ashley Nadesan before Appiah put them in front by heading in a James Tilley cross after 29 minutes.

Swindon were later indebted to keeper Jojo Wollacott for pushing a goal-bound shot from Will Ferry around a post.

The Robins made a fast start to the second half and forward Davison scored the equaliser with his fifth goal of the season after being fed by Jack Payne.

Jake Hessenthaler denied Davison a second with a goal-line clearance.

But the Reds regained the lead on 72 minutes when striker Nichols poked the ball in from close range after Wollacott could only parry an effort by sub Hutchinson.

Hutchinson sealed victory with his first goal for Crawley in the second minute of added-on time, controlling Marshall’s ball before firing in.

Swindon boss Ben Garner said: “We had more than enough in our squad to win the game. We started well but got complacent and thought the game was too easy.

“Unlike our previous performance against Sutton, there were too many lapses and we didn’t play to the same level.”