VIDEO: Crawley Down Gatwick 3 Walton Casuals 1 John Maggs praises Gaby Odunaike for hat-trick

Gaby Odunaike scored a hat-trick on Tuesday night as the Anvils regained their early momentum and ended up on top against the third from bottom side.

The result lifted them up two places to eighth in the table and within four points of the play-off places.

Maggs said: “It’s been three weeks without a game and at times we were using this game to get rid of the cobwebs.

“The all-important thing was to win and we’ve got the result.

“I’m pleased for Gaby who has worked his socks off to get his three goals. They weren’t the best of goals but that’s what you get if you put the work in and he does deserve it.

“Our needs are to push to the end of the season whether we were ugly or not.”

Odunaike scrambled in Down’s opening goal after only five minutes from a crowded area.

Walton were certainly not a pushover and dominated the rest of the first half, Malik Ouani equalising in the 37th minute with a tremendous shot from the right hand channel outside the area, the ball flying to the opposite side of the net.

Mu Mann had an amazing miss for the visitors when it looked easier to score, lifting his shot skyward and well clear of the bar from only a couple of yards out.

Mann and Ouani were both denied by Tony Di Bernardo from shooting attempts.

Crawley Down regained the lead five minutes after the restart when keeper Gareth Williams let a shot by Gaby slip through his hands and into the net.

Gaby made it 3-1 and effectively sealed the three points on 71 minutes on the rebound after his initial blast was parried by Williams.

Di Barnardo got down low to deny substitute Mario Quiassali while at the other end Luke Blewden would not have impressed a Premier League club scout at the ground with an off-target shot while off balance.

Maggs added: “This sets us up for Horsham on Saturday and I’ll defend that all day long. I’m looking forward to it enormously.”

Crawley Down Gatwick: Di Barnarndo, Slocombe, Mitchell, Richards, Page, Morley, Odunaike, Sargent, Cade, Blewden, Logan. Subs: Napper, Geard, Graves, Bold, Frankland

Attendance: 65

Man of the Match: Gaby Odunaike

Click above to see John Maggs talking about the game