10-man Crawley Town fall to 3-1 defeat to high-flying Mansfield Town

Crawley went behind in the 12th minute, as a quick free-kick caught Scott Lindsey’s team off guard as Rhys Oats was released down the line crossing the ball in for Baily Cargill who headed the away side ahead.

Crawley would equalise in the 35th minute, however. As the hosts prepared to take a free kick there was a coming together between Adam Campbell and Lucas Atkins in the box, the referee pointed to the spot, and a penalty was given. Danilo Orsi calmly stepped up and smashed the ball home for his eleventh goal of the season. Orsi now only needs one more to equal Dom Telford’s tally of twelve from last season.

But the second half would spell trouble for Crawley. Despite starting well with Will Wright hitting the crossbar with an effort from distance, Davis Keillor-Dunn would put the away side ahead in the 56th minute with a goal that came out of nowhere. Substitute Stephen Quinn crossed the ball across the box for Dunn to put Mansfield ahead. Ten minutes later it would get worse as Lucas Atkins dribbled through the box and despite his shot being blocked, George Maris was on hand to slam the ball home with a super finish from the edge of the box.

Jay Williams was sent off in the 69th minute in a bizarre incident, where the referee produced a yellow card for a foul and then immediately produced a second to send the centre back off. It’s unclear whether it was his reaction to the foul or something he said to the referee as to why he received his marching orders. The referee seemed to be in the Christmas spirit as he handed out a total of nine yellow cards across the match.

The result means Crawley slip to 13th in the table, whereas Mansfield are just outside the automatic promotion spots in fourth.