Crewe 0 Crawley 2: Collins' double earns away win

Two goals by top scorer James Collins earned Crawley Town a valuable away win at Crewe.
James Collins in action against Charlton. Picture by Phil Westlake SUS-160510-150040001James Collins in action against Charlton. Picture by Phil Westlake SUS-160510-150040001
James Collins in action against Charlton. Picture by Phil Westlake SUS-160510-150040001

The Reds forward scored midway in each half, putting his total number of goals for the season up to 11.

It was a welcome return to winning ways following last weekend’s demoralising 5-0 defeat at Yeovil.

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Head coach Dermot Drummy made six chancges from the side which lost 1-0 against Coventry City on Wednesday night in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Glenn Morris, Andre Blackman, Jimmy Smith, Josh Payne and Jordan Rorberts who had a virus bug, all started.

Crawley went close in the opening exchanges, with Roberts setting up Blackman in a good position, but the defence cleared, then Lewis Young’s cross towards Enzio Boldewijn was flicked away.

Collins scored in the 21st minute when he seized upon a mistaje by the Crewe defence and volleyed into the net.

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Collins nearly added a second goal three minutes later when after being set-up by Smith, his shot was deflected wide.

As Crawley continued to dominate, Collins paved the way for for Roberts to shoot, but the ball was deflected into the keeper’s arms.

Crewe had a good chance to equalise on 35 minutes when Alex Kiwomya fired over the bar from 15 yards.

Just before half-time Collins blasted a superb volley into the net off the bar, only for the goal to be rules out for offside.

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Danny Hollands and Chris Dagnall had shots narrowly off-target as Crewe came out strongly at the start of the second half.

Collins did some great work to find Roberts midway through the half, but his shot flew inches wide.

Bobson replaced Boldewijn as Drummy made his first substitution.

Collins scored his second goal of the game to make it 2-0 with 15 minutes to go when he tapped in Clifford cross after some poor marking.

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Adi Yussuf then came on for Roberts with eight minutes to go for Reds’ second substitution.

REDS: Morris, Young, Connolly, Yorwerth, Blackman, Smith (capt), Payne, Boldewijn (Bawling 66), Clifford, Roberts (Yussuf 82), Collins

Unused subs: Mersin, Davey, Tajbakhsh, Djalo, Henderson

Crewe: Garratt, Turton, Guthrie, Davis, Ng, Jones (Kirk 79), Hollands (Nugent 85), Cooper, Kiwomya (Ainsley 68), Lowe (capt), Dagnall.

Unused subs: Richards, Udoh, Bingham, Lowery

Attendance: 3,392 (73 away)

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