Wembley heroes praised by Crawley Town boss after Harrogate Town win

Goals from Max Anderson and Josh Flint were enough to earn the Reds their second win in a week and their first home victory since November 8 against Fleetwood Town.

Williams bossed the midfield and received a standing ovation when replaced by Dion Pereira after 87 minutes.

“I’m really impressed with Jay,” Lindsey said. “He’s grown up a lot since I’ve had him – obviously had him over a number of years now. He’s now taken on a lot of responsibility and he’s been excellent.

“Drives the team on – it's like having a coach out on the pitch. He understands the actions that we talk about – he understands everything. He’s vocal in meetings – excellent captain.”

Lindsey also praised new signings Ronan Darcy and Danilo Orsi in their first and second games back at the Broadfield respectively.

“It’s clear to see they’re enjoying themselves out there,” he said. “Even though Danilo Orsi’s not scored yet, I thought he was brilliant today. His hold up play was excellent – he linked the play so well. He’s not really had an open chance today as such. But yeah, I think Orsi has been brilliant.

“I think Darcy was class today, thought he was busy all game. There was another ten-minute spell where Darcy wasn’t in the game and it was probably that first ten minutes of the second half. You need to look at him and go: ‘Come on, you’re the type of player that can get us going here’.

“And I think he did. I think he came through that spell of the game and started dictating it again – I thought he was really good.”

The Reds’ boss was relieved to get all three points on Saturday with a “professional performance” but was left frustrated by that slow start to the second half.

He said: “I think there was a spell in the second half which I wasn’t pleased with – the way we started the second half. We had a long throw on the far side and we threw it short and then we turn the ball over, and then we seem as if we’re under pressure for about ten minutes after that, so we never really got going in that second half straight away. It took us ten minutes before we actually got going.

“But, listen, I’ve got to be pleased with the outcome of it. I thought it was a decent performance and we win the game, and we keep another clean sheet which I’m pleased with, so onto the next one.”

He added: “I just wasn’t happy with the first ten minutes of that second half – I don’t think it was great. We seem to panic a little bit. I think there was a bit of anxiety in there. I don’t know why – we were one nil up against a team who hasn’t won for nearly four months in the league.

“Maybe that was the reason we felt anxious, because we knew we had to win this game but no need to really. We just had to keep playing the way we were playing in the first half - we’d have been fine.”

Despite previous setbacks this season, the Reds battled through the early stages of second half, refusing to fold under pressure.

Lindsey said: “Personnel changes means that the players that’ve come in haven’t been used to losing games like the ones that have or had been playing. There is a mentality shift now. We wasn’t great in that first ten minutes of the second half, but we saw it through and we come through it the other end.

“Last 20 minutes – I thought it was comfortable, whereas maybe three months ago or two months ago we draw that game – or even probably lose it. But now we’ve got a different mentality with the players we’ve brought in. There’s a belief that we can win games now.”

The result marks a third consecutive clean sheet for Lindsey’s side, with the signings of goalkeeper Jacob Chapman and defender Theo Vassell helping solidify the back-three with Josh Flint and Charlie Barker.

“We kept two clean sheets in half a season, which wasn’t acceptable and I’ve made changes,” Lindsey said. “It’s clear to see that the changes that I’ve made were the right decision. We’ve kept three in a row now and it feels to me as if we’re not gonna concede at the moment.

“We’re defending the box really well. We’re still playing with the same amount of possession – it's not like I’ve brought in defenders and goalkeepers who can’t play. They still play the same way, and we’ve been excellent at the back so I’m really pleased with that.”

Flint’s goal was particularly pleasing to the Reds’ boss due to it coming from a corner.

He said: “I’m pleased to score from a set piece because, all of a sudden, we’ve got good delivery in Darcy – takes them inswinging on the left-hand-side – and Jonny (Russell) takes them on the right-hand-side inswinging with his left foot.

“So, we feel like our delivery now is on point and we’ve got players that will go and attack it. We score a lot of goals on corners in training, and it was pleasing to see that go in.

“And I’m pleased for Flinty because he’s been class for us. He actually created the corner – he drove down the left side and had a brilliant shot, and the keeper made a good save. So, he created that so I’m pleased for him.”