Red Devils warning as errors cost them dear

MANAGER Scott Lindsey surveyed the wreckage of this potentially costly defeat and warned his Crawley players they were in danger of “shooting themselves in the foot”.

Frustrated at the errors which gifted the victory to lowly Colchester, he told his team that any repetition could lead to them missing out on the play-offs.

Lindsey’s men remain seventh after two goals from Tom Hopper either side of a Cameron McGeehan effort lifted tenman Colchester out of the bottom two by a single point with four games remaining.

Crawley, who briefly pulled level thanks to a third goal in three games by Klaidi Lolos, scored again deep in stoppage time through Harry Forster, but the Red Devils have only won twice at home since New Year’s Day.

“When you gift an opposition two goals, if not three, you’re never going to win,” said Lindsey. “They were gifts and if we’re going to do that, we won’t make the play-offs. We were our own worst enemy; it was an example of shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Lindsey wants his men to dwell on all the good things they have achieved this season for the remaining three games, and not put their play-off challenge in doubt with “unprofessional play”.

He said: “Destiny is in our own hands. I want us to hold our nerve and do it properly.”

Colchester went into the game boosted by a bumper away following of nearly 1,000 fans and took a 21st-minute lead when Ellis Landolo crossed for Hopper to turn the ball in.

Crawley equalised in the 42nd minute through Lolos after Arthur Read gave the ball away to Harry Forster.

But Colchester hit back to regain the lead two minutes later when Addai gave the ball away, allowing Jay Mingi to cross for McGeehan to fire home.

The U’s made it 3-1 a minute after the break when Will Wright gave the ball away and Hopper stroked in a second.

Colchester sub Samson Tovide, only on the field eight minutes, received a straight red for an off-the-ball incident before Forster headed in a reply.

Colchester United boss Danny Cowley, serving a one-game ban, said: “Obviously I’m delighted with the result but we should have won by more.

“Tom Hooper is our first defender and we depend so much on him – so to get goals like that as well is a real bonus.”