Crawley Town rise out of the bottom-four

Crawley Town climbed out of the relegation zone when first half goals by Izale McLeod and Richard Wood earned them a welcome 2-0 win at home to Oldham Athletic.
By Graham Carter
Published 6th Apr 2015, 19:54 BST
Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Richard Wood scores Crawley's second goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184803002Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Richard Wood scores Crawley's second goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184803002
Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Richard Wood scores Crawley's second goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184803002

Dean Saunders handed a full debut to Dean Morgan who partnered McLeod up front as one of four changes made from Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Crewe.

Morgan, Ryan Dickson, Lewis Young and Marvin Elliott came in for the injured Dean Leacock, Anthony Wordsworth who was suspended, Gwion Edwards and Mathias Pogba who were on the bench.

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Crawley had the first chance when a good run and cross by Ryan Dickson was chested down by Morgan who hit a volley forcing a fine save by keeper Joel Coleman to turn around for a corner.

Morgan then wasted a fine chance to open the scoring when he hesitated in the area but that was all forgotten moments later when Reds scored.

Tomlin supplied a fine ball in from the left in the 14th minute for McLeod to score his 20th goal of the season with a glancing header.

In a lovely touch in the 28th minute both sets of fans stood up to applaud crowd favourite Ernie Cooksey who played for both sides before sadly passing away.

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Some sustained pressure from Oldham came to nothing before Crawley made it 2-0 on 33 minutes from a free-kick by Lee Fowler which was put away in the area by Richard Wood for his fourth goal for Reds.

Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Richard Wood scores Crawley's second goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184815002Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Richard Wood scores Crawley's second goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184815002
Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Richard Wood scores Crawley's second goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184815002

Oldham forced keeper Brian Jensen into action when a cross fom the right by Carl Winchester was met by Rhys Turner whose shot was tipped over the bar by the Reds stopper.

Gavin Tomlin went so close to giving his side a 3-0 lead when McLeod crossed to him in the six-yard box but the ball hit his thigh and flew off-target.

Conor Wilkinson went close for the vistors with a lob which narrowly flew over the bar.

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McLeod received a standing ovation from the crowd when he was substituted for Pogba moments after he set up Young for a great chance in the six-yard box but his shot was blocked by the feet of keeper Coleman.

Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Izale McLeod scores Crawley's first goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184751002Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Izale McLeod scores Crawley's first goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184751002
Crawley Town V Oldham Athletic 6/4/15 Izale McLeod scores Crawley's first goal (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-150604-184751002

REDS: Jensen, Oyebanjo, Dickson, Bradley, McLeod (Pogba 83), Morgan (Edwards 73), Young, Fowler, Tomlin (Smith 80), Wood, Elliott.

Unused subs: Price, Bawling, Cofie, Youga

OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Coleman, Brown, Mills (Mellis 76), Kelly, Jones, Winchester (Poleon 60), Wilson, Wilkinson, Lockwood, Sadler, Turner (Bove 71)

Unused subs: Dieng, Wilson, Kusunga, Kean

REFEREE: Oliver Langford

ATTENDANCE: 2,520 (203 away)

MAN OF THE MATCH: Lewis Young