'The game plan was perfect' - Crawley Town boss Scott Lindsey reveals the tactical change that helped them comfortably beat Swindon Town

The Reds have made a name for themselves this season with their impressive passing style and possession-based tactics. But it was a different story today as the visitors dominated the stats at the Broadfield Stadium with 56% possession, and 14 shots on goal to Crawley’s 11.

And although Lindsey doesn’t like not dominating the match stats, he knew changes had to be made to help them beat the Robins today thanks to two goals from Danilo Orsi and a brilliant volley from Jack Roles, who was making his first League start of the season.

He said: “ Obviously really pleased with the result. We played differently today in the way that we pressed. We didn’t jump our wide players onto their wide centre halves like we normally do because we were worried about their strengthen the wide areas with Tyrese Shade and Remead Hutton, We didn’t want to leave Joy [Mukena] and Harry [Ransom] exposed to that.

“Our wing backs [Ronan] Darcy and Nick Tsaroulla defended down the pitch which gave them more of the ball. It was just a different tactic today that I feel was needed and I thought the game plan was perfect and I thought the execution of the game plan was even better, I thought the players did it brilliantly.”

Lindsey also revealed he didn’t finalise the game plan until this morning but was satisfied they got the result the performance deserved. “We worked extremely hard on the game plan yesterday and again this morning because driving in this morning I wasn’t sure on one thing so I changed it and it worked perfectly,” said Lindsey. “We are always after performances. I think the possession stats were probably in their favour, I don’t like that but I felt it was indeed for today’s game. And it didnit bother me because they didn’t hurt us with the possession they had.”

Mukena was another player making his first League start for the Red and Lindsey was impressed. “Joy has come up against a very experienced striker in Charlie Austin today and I felt later on in the game Charlie started to peel more on that side and I thought Joy defined him brilliantly and was very calm. It was a good game for him. I was really pleased with the boys who came in and played.”

And Lindsey said on Roles: “He has had to be patient and we have kept working with him on the training ground. I thought he did his job brilliantly well today, even from a defensive point of view in terms of executing the game plan and what was needed from him. The attacking bits and pieces he did was brilliant and it was a great goal.”

Orsi has now notched up 11 League Two goals and 13 in all competition since joining the Reds in the summer. But Lindsey thought he should have had at least one more. “I actually thought from the kick off he was in and he should have shot. He looked round at me and I was having a go at him for not pulling the trigger and he must have learnt from that,” he said. “But he was brilliant today, ran his socks off and again another player who got the game plan perfect. He’s been outstanding, I absolutely love working with him. He’s a top lad. Works his socks off, I am pleased he has got the goals he has got because the work ethic he puts in. He was really disappointed after the MK Dons game and he looked down. We spoke about and he was fine so really pleased he got his goals.”

There was a moment in the first half when Dion Conroy, Corey Addai and Jay Williams played their way out of defence and Lindsey turned to the crowd and clapped when they had got clear. We asked Lindsey he did that. “I Just thought it was a brilliant action,” he said. “A lot of people would look at that as a heart-in-the mouth situation but I want the fans to embrace those moments because it’s fantastic football. Whilst a lot of people will be heart-in-mouth, it’s actually planned quite well and that action worked perfectly and I quite liked it..

Crawley now travel to Bradford Coty on Saturday before their EFL Trophy trip to Peterborough next Wednesday.