TOWN 0-0 Crawley Town - Stalemate sees Town settle for a point

The spoils were shared on a sweltering afternoon at The Envirovent Stadium as Town and Crawley played out a goalless draw.

After an opening forty-five minutes that saw both sides contending with the conditions, the second-half was a far more open affair with both having opportunities to come away with all three points.

Simon Weaver made five changes to the side that exited the Carabo Cup against Stockport in midweek. Joe Mattock, Warren Burrell, Alex Pattison and Luke Armstrong all returned to the side and there was a debut handed to new signing Kayne Ramsay, whose arrival from Southampton was announced earlier in the day.

The visitors were dealt a blow when summer signing, and last season’s League Two top scorer, Dom Telford was not fit enough to make the squad after suffering an injury in midweek against Bristol Rovers.

Town opened the game with a multi-pass move that swept the play across the pitch, with Town forcing an early corner.

Jack Powell had the first opportunity for the visitors when he found himself in space but he was too far out to test Pete Jameson and his shot flew well over the bar to safety.

Tom Nicholls could consider himself fortunate to have escaped a yellow card after his late challenge on Miles Welch-Hayes.

Jameson was tested on 20 minutes when Kwesi Appiah raced on to ball played over the top. However, Joe Mattock remained at close quarters to allow Jameson time to come off his line and narrow the angle.

The recent weather had appeared to slow the pitch, with a number of passes notably holding up in the surface. Town though were having the better of the play, with an Alex Pattison comfortably handled by Corey Addai before a Welch-Hayes cross was met by Luke Armstrong but turned behind for a corner.

Travis Johnson then had to be at full stretch to clear at the far post with Jaheim Headley ready to pounce after Addai parried.

With five minutes to go before the break the visitors were forced into their first change when Ludwig Francilette was forced off through injury and replaced by James Tilley.

Town finished the half with another neat move, with the ball again sprayed from side to side before Pattison fired straight at Addai, and Armstrong scuffing an effort after Daly had crossed from the right-hand side.

Despite the hot conditions and having five changes available, neither manager opted to make a change at the break.

The best chance of the game came in the opening minute after the break though when Nicholls curled an effort
low to Jameson’s left, with Town’s ‘keeper moving to quickly to palm the ball away from danger.

Tilley then flashed a cross along the six-yard box that caused hearts to flutter momentarily in the Town defence.
Crawley were showing far more sign of life after the break and Tilley was again involved, cutting in from the right to fire a left-footed effort that Jameson had to beat away.

Town responded by making their first change of the game when Daly was withdrawn for Jack Muldoon.

Muldoon almost made an immediate impact too. New-boy Ramsay showed a burst of pace and power down the right-hand side to deliver a ball across the box that Town’s substitute almost converted at the far post.

Jameson was again called upon when Mazeed Ogungbo headed goalbound but Town’s stopper was equal to the task to turn the effort behind.

Both sides then made changes. Firstly, Aramide Oteh replaced Kwesi Appiah before Lewis Richards came on for Headley.

The visitors were edging closer to opening their account for the season and Tilley again proved to be the key man when he raced into the box to meet Brandon Mason’s cross. He was unfortunate though to see his effort ricochet off the bar.

Another double change followed when Ashley Nadesan was withdrawn for James Balazigi and Thomson replaced Stephen Dooley in the Town midfield.

Mason then fizzed an effort narrowly over the bar before Balagizi flashed wide when he was well placed to have found a better end result.

With five minutes remaining Town showed they weren’t out of the contest when Muldoon’s turn and cross was met forcefully by Pattison but his header lacked direction and well over Addai’s bar.

Muldoon then had the opportunity of the afternoon as the game ticked into injury time but he snatched at his effort and the ball fell wide of Addai's post.

The result saw Town move to four points from their three games so far ahead of a pair of away fixtures this week that sees them travel to Gillingham and Barrow.

TOWN: Jameson, Welch-Hayes, Burrell, Mattock, Ramsay, Headley (Richards, 71), Austerfield, Dooley (Thomson, 76), Pattison, Daly (Muldoon, 62), Armstrong.

Subs not used: Oxley, Ferguson, Frost, Ilesanmi.

Crawley Town: Addai, Craig, Powell, Nicholls, Nadesan (Balagizi, 76), Mason, Francilette (Tilley, 40), Appiah (Oteh, 70), Johnson, Hessenthaler, Ogungbo.

Subs not used: Greensall, Balagizi, Khaleel, Jenks, Gallacher.
Referee: Tom Neild.

Attendance: 1,304