Crawley 0 Barnet 3: Reds fade in second half

Former Reds striker John Akinde scored twice in the second half for Barnet after Elliott Johnson gave them the lead just before half-time.

The Bees netted in the 39th minute when Johnson took advantage of a clearance by Sonny Bradley going straight to him and he fired a shot low from 25 yards into the bottom right corner.

New head coach Dermot Drummy received a warm welcome from the fans when he was introduced before kick-off in what was his first home game since taking charge.

He made four changes to the side which lost 3-0 at Dagenham.

Goalkeeper Jack Rose, utility player Bobson Bawling, Frankie Sutherland and Josh Yorwerth were preferred to Callum Preston, Liam McAlinden, Lyle Della-Verde and Joe McNerney who were all on the bench.

Barnet made three changes with Bonz N’Gaia, Alie Sesay and Nana Kyei replacing James Pearson, Michael Nelson and Andy Yiadom.

Drummy fielded an attacking 4-2-3-1 line-up with Lee Barnard the central striker just in front of attacking-minded trio Shamir Fenelon, Gavin Tomlin and Bawling.

Reds made a promising start with Gavin Tomlin setting up Bobson Bawling for a shot on the right which flew narrowly over the bar.

Before that, Jimmy Smith saw a free-kick deflected narrowly over.

Barnet took the lead against the run of play when Bradley headed the ball clear from a throw-in only as far as Johnson who struck first-time from 25 yards straight into the net.

Crawley then raced to the other end in search of an immediate equaliser by Fenelon but it was cleared off the line by Bira Dembele.

Seconds before half-time Barnet made the first substitution as Wesley Fonguck replaced the injured Harry Taylor.

Drummy brought on Gwion Edwards for Fenelon as he looked to bet back on level terms.

Edwards looked a threat as he went on a run, cut inside from the right and shot, only to be denied by Barnet keeper Jamie Stephens.

The visitors then went 2-0 ahead with 13 minutes to go when substitute Justin Ngogu found Akinde, who chipped in a goal to beat Rose.

Crawley had chances to score either side of Barnet’s second goal as firstly Barnard blasted wide from long-range, then Bawling shot wide of the post.

Barnet rubbed salt into the wounds with a third goal in the 90th minute, a long ball by keeper Stephens found Akinde who slotted home their third.

Playing with confidence, it was Akinde’s 24th goal of the season which was in stark contrast to spell at Crawley when he scored one goal in two years but is the sort of form Crawley need, having only scored two goals in their last eight matches.

REDS (4-2-3-1): Rose, Bradley, Smith, Barnard (Della-Verde 85), Young, Fenelon (Edwards 61), Bawling, Tomlin (McAlinden 76), Sutherland, Yorwerth, Dunne

UNUSED SUBS: Preston, Oyebanjo, McNerney

BARNET: Stephens, Johnson, Dembele (Day 66), N’Gaia, Akinde, Gambin (Nwogu 74), Togwell, Gash, Sesay, Taylor (Fonguck 45), Kyei

UNUSED SUBS: Nelson, Champion, Muggleton, McKenzie-Lyle

REFEREE: David Coote

ATTENDANCE: 2,293 (321 away)

MAN OF THE MATCH: Frankie Sutherland

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