Crawley Down Gatwick

The first leg of our local derby took place just after Christmas on a cold, wet and windy night. While this match was spared any rain it was hardly a warm Spring evening as a cold breeze blew across the ground. It was a tight match at The Haven and this was more of the same as both sides were determined to put one over the other. It took a bit of individual skill to settle the match as a good turn and shot on the edge of the box in the first half was enough to see Crawley Down Gatwick gain revenge for our 1-0 win in December.

In a short space of time, we have gone from soft soggy pitches to ones that are hard, dry, and bobbly and a test of ball control. The first clear attempt on goal fell to Conor Wilford with a shot from just outside the D having been set up by a flick on from Jimmy Williams. Wilford’s shot lacked power and was straight at their imposing keeper. A free kick from the right a minute later missed everyone and went behind for a goal kick. Early on it was clear that a major tactic for Crawley Down would be long balls for their lanky top scoring striker to chase and so our defence would need to be on their toes. Also on his toes in the sixth minute was Jack Webb-Olley as he came out to the edge of the box to head clear a long ball. On 7mins Jay Simpson was played in from a free kick and saw his shot deflected behind for a corner. From the resulting corner the ball came out to Williams for a shot that was blocked. The defence was holding firm as on 9mins Tom Green made a good challenge on the edge of the box to clear any danger.

On 16mins as Webb-Olley played a ball out from the back to Tyrone Magala-Bryan that was just a little under hit and he was quickly closed down but was able to hold onto the ball and play it forward. Haydn Dickinson took a free kick a minute later but could only find the keeper. On 23mins Crawley Down put a cross from the right into our six yard box and Webb-Olley saved well at the foot of the left post. Crawley Down delivered a cross from the left on 27mins but it evaded everyone as it flew through the box and behind. On 29mins Simpson and Josh McArthur Nolan were linking up down the left and McArthur Nolan drove into the box and won a corner for his efforts. On the half hour Stephen Hodge played a ball out from the back to find Wilford. He took the ball on his chest and played the ball onto Williams for him to shoot and win a corner as the ball was deflected behind. Simpson and McArthur Nolan played a short corner and set Simpson up for a shot but it was straight at the keeper.

On 32mins Crawley Down had possession on the left side of our box and a sharp turn and shot saw the ball in the net for a 1-0 lead. Simpson had the ball on the edge of the box on 36mins looking to find an opening for a shot but good covering from Crawley Down saw him tackled. A minute later Crawley Down had a good chance to double their lead but the shot from the left hit the side netting. On 38mins Louis Gates was driving down the right wing and centred the ball to Williams on the edge of the box. He set up Wilford for a shot but it was rising as soon as he struck it. A long ball down left by Crawley Down saw Hodge sprint across to win the ball first and then win a throw off their striker. The Lingers ended the half on the front foot with Simpson attacking the box and setting up Gates for a shot. The ball deflected to McArthur Nolan who drove to the bye line and won a corner. The corner came to nothing and it was half time.

Webb-Olley had picked up an injury towards the end of the first half and was replaced during the break by Rafferty Pearce. On 48mins Wilford fired a free kick from the left into the wall and it was then cleared. On 57mins Wilford hit another free kick into the wall and then followed up the rebound but Crawley Down cleared the ball. A minute later the lads had possession around their box and Wilford slid the ball into the box for McArthur Nolan but a good tackle cleared the ball. Crawley Down mustered a shot from the left edge of the box on 59mins but it was well wide. On 62mins Hodge was covering on the right and played the ball forward on the left for McArthur Nolan to chase but the ball beat him to the bye line and out for a goal kick. A few minutes later Simpson found an opening for a shot from the edge of the D but as before it was straight at the keeper.

It was time for change as Jake Riddington came on for Williams. Keeping the pressure up on Crawley Down on 70mins Gates had the ball on the right wing and beat two players to break into the box and deliver a cross that was cleared. It was so close to an equaliser on 72mins as Riddington battled well on the left to win the ball and play it forward to Simpson whose shot fizzed just past the right post. With fifteen to go a cross from the right from Gates was cleared behind for a corner. From the corner a shot was deflected behind for another corner. This time the ball floated out past the far post. The pressure was still all on Crawley Down as they defended the edge of their box well. A positive change brought Richie Wetton on for Magala-Bryan and a final change was to bring Toby Hill on for Davd Heaton. The lads were trying hard to find a goal and in the third minute of added time brought a final chance as Simpson had a shot but once again it found their keeper. One goal was enough once again to settle a very even local derby and perhaps our defence should be pleased that it was not the league’s leading scorer who got it as he was well policed by them all game.

A disappointment not to get a point from this game but it is on to Saturday’s final game of the season at Eastbourne United. Neither team will see any change from that match as we our confirmed in eleventh place and Eastbourne United are set in seventh place.