CRAWLEY TOWN ARE PROMOTED: Reds beat Crewe 2-0 to win League Two play-off final

Danilo Orsi put the Reds ahead 41 minutes in, with a brilliant move which involved Liam Kelly, as he entered the box and fired past Max Stryjek into the Crewe net.

There was a scare 10 minutes into the second half as Addai had looked to take down Christopher Long, but after VAR intervened, the penalty was not given.

The Reds pushed for the majority of the second half for a second goal, but it eventually had come through Liam Kelly late on, after he found the empty net from a tight angle.

This marvellous performance was completed in front of 33,341 fans in one of the best days in Crawley Town’s history.

Crawley dominated the ball in the early stages, as Crewe tried to put the pressure on, as they tried to get Crawley on the counter but Shilow Tracey’s first opportunity to get forward ended up in a poor cross straight to Reds number 1 Corey Addai.

Liam Kelly was at the end of a big challenge from Conor Thomas, who escaped punishment even with the use of VAR in this playoff final.

Crawley’s first attempt of the match had come 15 minutes in, and was from Liam Kelly, who fired a half volley over the bar from the edge of the box.

A few minutes later, Crawley created a brilliant move which ended in Danilo Orsi laying off Liam Kelly in the penalty area, but he could not place his shot past Max Stryjek who made a comfortable save.

Liam Kelly kept being a threat from the middle of the park, with his over the top through ball to Adam Campbell look promising but ended up with too much power and fell nicely into the arms of Stryjek.

25 minutes in, both teams had a drink break and a chance for their managers to give them some words of encouragement before going back out there.

After the drink break, Klaidi Lolos had Crawley’s third shot of the game, as he cut in on his left foot and shot from 25 yards out, but he could not make the best connection as his shot with not much power was a comfortable save for Stryjek.

Crewe’s first opportunity had come from a free kick swung into the box, which was initially cleared by Crawley but was whipped back in and was brilliantly dealt with by the captain Dion Conroy.

Crewe’s first attempt on target came from Elliot Nevitt, who got past Jay Williams in the midfield as he drove forward and had attempt well saved by Addai who got low to his right and pushed it out for a corner, which Crawley eventually got cleared after a scare.

As the half went on, Crewe became more of a danger, and Crawley needed to rely on a brilliant challenge from Conroy on Aaron Rowe to prevent him from getting a shot away.

Despite this, it was Crawley who took the lead 41 minutes in through Danilo Orsi, as he received the ball from Liam Kelly, and cut inside to shoot with the outside of the boot into the Crewe net, as the Crawley fans went wild in celebration.

Moments later, Jeremy Kelly had a chance to make it two, but his shot was blocked and went out for a corner, before a few minutes later Klaidi Lolos had come close with a long shot which just went over the bar.

Into the second half, and Crawley carried on like they ended the first, with Kellan Gordon having won a corner after a threatening move down the right-hand side.

52 minutes in, Adam Campbell made a mistake which let Christpher Long get through one-on one with Addai, who stuck a leg out as Long tried to go around him and the Crewe player went down leaving referee Ben Toner no decision apart from to give the penalty.

But after a VAR check, it turned out there was no contact made between Addai and Long and the penalty was revoked, to the relief of the Crawley fans.

Up at the other end, Orsi almost had a golden opportunity after he pressured Stryjek with the ball, but the Crewe keeper stayed composed and booted it away.

The Reds had another great opportunity from a corner, as Gordon got the ball under control in the box, he fired a shot at goal which was pushed out by Stryjek almost into Lolos’ path before it was dealt with by the Crewe defence.

Jeremy Kelly won a free kick around 30 yards out, which was initially cleared but it fell to substitute Ade Adeyemo whose shot on the edge of the box was fired over.

Danilo Orsi won the ball back in his own half, and Liam Kelly retrieved it as he charged into the Crewe half, as he eventually played the ball through to substitute Ronan Darcy whose shot was blocked and went out for a corner.

After that, Crawley played the ball well around the box before Lolos set up Darcy for the shot with a neat flick, but Darcy could not keep his first-time effort down as it just went over the bar.

Liam Kelly almost got his well-deserved goal but was prevented by Stryjek with a fantastic save high at his near post from a well-struck Leam Kelly shot, as Crawley searched for a second to end the tie.

With 10 minutes to go, Crewe sensed it was their time to push on and almost had a chance through a Mickey Demetriou header, but the skipper could not beat Addai at his near post.

Crawley finally got their second, through Liam Kelly, who received the ball past the Crewe defence, as he tried to square it to Orsi, but had his pass deflected back to him and from a tight angle he tapped it into an empty net in front of the ecstatic Crawley fans.

The Reds held tight for the rest of the game to achieve what seemed the impossible at the start of the season: getting promoted to League One.

Follow the live blog here.

Here is a picture gallery of fans travelling to and at Wembley.