Crawley Town 1, Mansfield Town 0: Super-sub Tilley earns Reds three points against Stags

Reds celebrates James Tilley's winner. Picture by UK Sports Images Ltd/Jamie Evans

James Tilley struck a last-minute winner against Colchester United last month, and he produced another late winner to seal another three points for Crawley against a stubborn Mansfield Town.

It was a quiet match, with Tom Nichols coming close twice, heading against the bar, before forcing Marek Stech into a strong save.

It seemed like Crawley were heading towards a goalless draw, before Tilley rifled into the bottom corner, as the Reds once again found last-minute salvation.

Both John Yems and Nigel Clough named unchanged starting line-ups from their midweek wins, as Tony Craig returned to the Crawley bench.

Glenn Morris claims the ball against Mansfield Town. Picture by UK Sports Images Ltd/Jamie Evans

Mansfield were the first to come close when Glenn Morris did well to claw away an acrobatic effort from Jamie Reid, with Ollie Clarke unable to follow the shot in.

Tom Nichols looped a header onto the bar, before Reid missed a huge chance for Mansfield, as he sent a free header wide from close range.

Reid blazed an effort over, before Jordan Bowery dragged a shot wide in a quiet first-half.

Crawley had the first big chance of the second-half with the best move of the game, when Jordan Maguire-Drew worked the ball to Archie Davies, who played a sharp cutback towards Tom Nichols. Nichols sent a first-time drive towards the bottom corner, but it was a great stop from Marek Stech to deny him.

Ashley Nadesan got in behind the Stags’ back four, and picked out Nichols, who miscued his first-time effort, firing wide.

Joe McNerney came close with a header into a dangerous area from a corner, but Mansfield were able to hack the ball clear.

Stags substitute Tyrese Sinclair took a free-kick which deflected off of the wall, looping over, before James Perch headed the resulting corner over.

The game seemed to be heading towards a stalemate until Crawley stole a late winner in stoppage time when substitute James Tilley got in behind and drilled an unstoppable finish past Stech at his near post, to secure another valuable three points for the Reds.

Crawley: Morris, Francomb, McNerney, Powell, Nadesan, Davies, Nichols, Tunnicliffe, Hesketh (Tilley 80’), Maguire-Drew (Wright 77’), Hessenthaler

Mansfield: Stech, Benning, Rawson, Clarke (Ward 45’), Bowery, Gordon, Perch, Quinn, Reid (Sinclair 69’), McLaughlin, Law (Charsley 77’)

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