Crawley 3 Bournemouth 1
After the impressive way that the Reds had played against Swansea and Carlisle, I suppose that this emphatic victory should not really cause any surprise, especially against a crisis suffering team languishing low in the table. But the result was still way above expectations. Like a wounded animal, Bournemouth were unpredictable and anything could have happened.
The Cherries started the better team, with The Reds looking poor. After 10 minutes, their Frank Demouge suffered a broken nose from a legal challenge and was stretchered off, to be replaced by Broadfield hero Matt Tubbs who earned a rapturous welcome from us Crawley fans eager and pleased to see him again - even as an opposition danger!
Matt almost immediately caused us a problem but then, despite being in good striker positions was just not getting the service and posed us little danger for the rest of the match. Crawley took the lead after Hope Akpan scored from close range off a corner
. Half an hour gone and Crawley were getting stronger. Just before half time, Joe Walsh headed home from another corner
to put us in a more comfortable 2-0 position before the break.
The second half had a little downturn for us when The Cherries got one back, now 2-1. This inspired a bit of a Cherries comeback, but was dealt with until our fragile lead was extended to 3-1 by Nicky Adams from a close-in shot.
This knocked any remaining steam out of them and Bournemouth posed few further problems. We might have scored a couple more after that to add to David James's unhappy recollections of the Broadfield Stadium. He had shipped one here that resulted in Crawley beating Championship Bristol City in the FA Cup and the scorer was .......Tubbsy
Good game, good result which pushes us up to third in League One
. Sad to see a player like Matt Tubbs, who scored at Broadfield for fun, looking a shadow of his former self with no service to him. Although we absolutely didn't want him to score of course, we never even really got a glimpse of his old talents. I suppose we can't have it both ways!
The crowd was a predictable 2928 and of that, 435 were Cherries so that means no progress is being made whatsoever building on the core local support which hovers in the 2500-2700 area. This objective wasn't helped by the news that the club had decided to re-impose the smoking ban on "instructions" from the FA. OK, it won't turn many away but extra "nanny" rules are generally disliked these days by all of us, except politicians, so it certainly won't help build attendances. Most other clubs at our level manage to find a way to accommodate smokers as they recognise that, although "Lepers" - they are a valuable contribution to revenue. One day our club will get wise.
Rant over, next up for us is an unusual away double act. We face Brentford at their place on Saturday in the League. Then we go back again on Tuesday for the Paint-Pot cup match. At least it isn't Carlisle twice! No need for a coach here as it is easier by train especially in groups. Brentford are mid table so doing OK and we are really going to have to play... then again on Tuesday whatever the result on Saturday - WOW!
COME ON YOU REDS!