Crawley Town 1-0 Bristol Rovers RECAP: Tom Nichols seals Carabao Cup first-round tie victory against former club after impressive team performance
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Having failed to pick up a point after two games in League Two, Reds manager Kevin Betsy will be looking for his first victory since taking over the club in the summer.
It won’t be an easy task, though, against League One Bristol Rovers, who come into the game fresh from thrashing Burton Albion 4-0.
Crawley will be looking for a quick change in fortunes after Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat against Leyton Orient – a week after losing by the same scoreline at Carlisle United.
Stay tuned for the team news and live match updates.
Crawley Town 1-0 Bristol Rovers RECAP: Tom Nichols seals Carabao Cup first-round tie victory against former club after impressive team performance
Full-time: Crawley 1-0 Bristol Rovers
Big win!
Crawley through to the next round of the cup.
And they thorougly deserved it, too.
(86) Crawley have another chance to seal the game.
This one started with Jack Powell, who turned his man with a delightful skill.
The ball is played out wide to Nichols, whose drilled cross landed at the feet of James Balagazi. The sub coudn’t keep his effort on target, though.
Crawley’s fans are in fine voice.
They are roaring their team onto their first win of the season - and what a win it would be.
Hits the woodwork!
(79) So nearly 2-0!
Half-time sub Oteh had options in the middle but he was confident and curled a low effort off the post.
It’s taken 250 minutes of football this season but Crawley finally have a goal and who else but captain Tom Nichols?
GOAL! Crawley 1-0 Bristol Rovers - Tom Nichols (73)
Bedlam in the home end!
Nichols scores against his former club to make it 1-0 to Crawley with a simple finish into an empty net after his first effort was saved.
It was a great through-ball by Jack Powell, initially.
(68) Crawley haven’t had too many chances this half but they’ve just wasted a big one.
Nadesan made a great run out wide, and was found by Nichols, but the resulting pass into the box towards Oteh in the box was poor and the chance goes begging.
Substitution
(62) Kwesi Appiah has been replaced by Aramide Oteh.
If this game remains goalless, it will go straight to penalties.
(61) Bristol Rovers have the ball in the net for a second time - but it’s disallowed again, this time for offside.
(56) Crawley somehow not given a free-kick after Hessenthaler is bundled to the floor.
The hosts play on with Appiah running towards the defence but his pass out wide was sloppy and Rovers win back possession.
(52) Rovers doing most of the attacking so far this half but nearly a break-away for Crawley as Addai plays it long to Nichols.
It looked like Nichols might be through on goal but Alfie Kilgour did brilliantly to stretch out a leg to intercept.