|
By Andy Heryet, at the Broadfield Stadium |
Click here for live commentary.
Full Time: Crawley Town 1 Albion 0
FT: Crawley take the spoils with a victory that their second half performance probably deserved, although Wright's effort deserved more. Another run-out for all 22 players however and Slade is yet to reveal his favoured line-up.
86: Mark Wright blasts a superbly placed right-footed shot from just outside the penalty area. The ball looks destined for the bottom corner and the Albion fans behind the goal start to celebrate; but Rayner somehow gets across to tip it past the post. Brilliant football from both players.
81: Malcolm should really increase the home side's lead witha gilt-edged opportunity, but Smith dives bravely at his feet to snaffle up the ball. Ademano is the provider as the Albion defence is caught a little flat-footed
78: GOAL! Crawley gain reward for their sustained pressure as Charles Ademano puts them ahead. Ademano's mazy run takes him inside the area and past several defenders as he looks for an opening. His first shot is parried by Smith but Ademano beats Livermore to the rebound and slots home.
77: Snapshot from Forster on the angle of the area demands a great save from Rayner, and that is exactly what it got.
75: Rents fires narrowly wide after Crawley pick up a free-kick 25 yards out
71: Michael Malcolm attempts a delicate chip over Smith, but the Scot is far too canny to be caught out like that.
68: The final three changes for Albion. Elphick, Virgo and Thornhill come off; Colin Hawkins, James Tunnicliffe and Jamie Smith take their places.
67: Elphick threads the ball though the middle and finds Forster, who swivels smartly and fires a shot only narrowly over the bar.
64: Crawley continue to threaten but the Albion defence is holding firm.
62: Further changes for Albion. Adam El-Abd, Mark Wright and Craig Davies take to the fray with Whing, Cox and Dickinson taking a breather. Crawley also make a couple of changes.
55: Crawley have started the second half slightly the stronger as the Albion settle down with their new personnel.
46: Just five changes for Albion, Graeme Smith replaces Kuipers in goal; at left-back David Livermore replaces Chronis, who picked up a knock shortly before half-time; Andrew Crofts and Gary Dicker come into central midfield in place of Navarro and Spiller; while upfront Forster takes the place of Murray. Crawley remain unchanged.
HT: Overall, Albion have probably had the better chances and certainly more of the attacking possession in this first period but they have Kuipers to thank for keeping them level at the break. Cox has probably been the most influential of the Albion players on show, although trialists Spiller, Navarro and Chronis have all shown signs of promise.
38: With a little under ten minutes to go before the break, the familiar sight of the Albion second half-squad emerge to be put through their warm-up routine by conditioning coach Matt Miller. Club Captain Nicky Forster is amongst them.
30: Albion have changed their formation slightly, to a 4-1-3-2, with Alan Navarro dropping in ahead of the back four. Not quite the diamond we have seen the Albion play in the past as Cox and Spiller level up on either side of Matt Thornhill.
29: Cox, having a very busy game tonight, floats another cross in, this time from the right hand flank. Murray rises with Rayner but the goalkeeper claims.
26: Great double save from Michel Kuipers. Two shots from Jamie Cook, both from around the penalty spot, are confidently blocked by the Albion stopper, who is yet to concede a goal in pre-season.
24: Penetrating free-kick from Cox on the left wing finds Elphick unmarked at the far post. His header is wayward though. Arguably the best chance of the night so far and Elphick will be disappointed with his finish.
21: Cox forces a great save from Rayner with a ferocious 20-yard shot that seemed to come out of nowhere. Rayner had to stretch to his right to parry the ball away.
19: Cox crosses from the right by-line after some great build-up work by Spiller. The ball finds Dickinson in space at the angle ofthe six-yard box but his relatively tame header drifts wide.
15: Crawley threaten from a right-sided free-kick, but an Albion boot stretches out of a goalmouth melee to hook the ball away.
13: Free-kick from trialist Andreas Chronis finds Tommy Elphick at the edge of the box, but the defender's header lacks both power and accuracy.
12: First time half-volley from Liam Dickinson flies well wide, but the tall striker reacted well to a downward header from Murray.
07: Strong shot from Danny Spiller, 25 yards out, tests Crawley goalkeeper Simon Rayner. Spiller, playing on the right-wing, was the beneficiary of a good move involving Dean Cox and Glenn Murray.
01: And the match kicks off, with Russell Slade persevering with the 4-4-2 formation that he has used throughout pre-season to date.
TEAM NEWS
Gary Hart misses out after having a cyst removed from his foot earlier this week, as does Kevin McLeod with a stomach strain, but Nicky Forster is back in the squad and is expected to play some part.
Andreas Chronis, a Greek-American who currently plays for AEK Athens, is training with the club this week with a view to a potential loan move, as Russell Slade evaluates his left-back options ahead of the season start in 15 days time.
Fellow trialists Alan Navarro, Danny Spiller and Jamie Smith are named among a 22-man squad and are all expected to play some part - but Carl Rook will play for Tonbridge Angels tomorrow and is expected to play a trial game at a later date.
For Crawley, erstwhile Albion defender Sam Rents starts the match at left-back and also captains the Reds tonight.
Albion : (4-4-2) . Kuipers (Graeme Smith, 46); Whing (El-Abd, 62), Elphick (Hawkins, 68), Virgo (Capt) (Tunnicliffe, 68), Chronis (Livermore, 46); Cox (Wright, 62), Navarro (Crofts, 46), Thornhill (Jamie Smith, 68), Spiller (Dicker, 46); Murray (Forster, 46), Dickinson (Davies, 62). Subs not used: None.
Referee: Danny McDermid
Attendance: 943
