Crawley suffer FA Cup heartbreak against Stoke
Kyle McFadzean is fouled whilst attacking the Stoke City defence (Pic by Jon Rigby)
CRAWLEY Town were knocked out of the FA Cup by a gritty Stoke City today, who overcame the dismissal of Rory Delap to claim a 2-0 win.
Goals either side of half time, courtesy of a Jonathan Walters penalty and a Peter Crouch header, accounted for Steve Evans’ Crawley, who had reached the Fifth Round for the second successive year.
Reds fans were dreaming of a cup shock against the Premier League side after a bright start and Delap saw red for a lunge on David Hunt, but Walters and Crouch put paid to that as Stoke booked their place in the quarter finals.
Crawley needed a bright start, and they got it, forcing two corners inside the first three minutes, and from the second of those, Pablo Mills nodded wide under pressure. Stoke were rocking early on, Ryan Shotton and Delap lost out in key positions, while a loose Matt Upson pass put his side under pressure as the Reds tried to capitalise on an intense Broadfield Stadium atmopshere.
And on eight minutes Crawley came agonisingly close to taking the lead, when Peter Crouch hit his own crossbar from David Hunt’s corner, the ball just bouncing down just the wrong side of the goalline.
The visitors responded with a Crouch header which flew over from Delap’s long throw, and when Jon Walters found himself in plenty of space inside the box, he flashed an effort across debutant Rene Gilmartin’s goal.
As expected, neither side wasted any time getting the ball forward, and Crawley continued to keep the tempo up, with a Tyrone Barnett volley just flying over.
And Stoke’s task was made the more difficult in the 17th minute when Rory Delap was sent off for a studs-up lunge on David Hunt. Referee Mike Jones took time over the decision as Hunt clutched his shin in agony, dismissing the midfielder despite Stoke’s angry protests.
Against the then-men the Reds continued to pile forward and Kyle McFadzean sliced wide from range, and this was a huge test of Stoke’s credentials.
They continued to be tested too, as after a patient move, McFadzean’s drive was well held by Asmir Begovic. But seconds later, Stoke opened the Reds up for the first time, good work from Peter Crouch and Walters released Cameron Jerome, who dragged his shot across goal.
The incidents kept on coming as Sanchez Watt lashed a shot over from 18 yards, and Walters shot wide at the other end. Crawley were shooting on sight at times, and when Barnett danced past Upson, he dragged his effort wide, seconds after McFadzean had also missed the target from range.
But Stoke got their noses in front shortly before the break, and it was a crushing way for Crawley to go behind. McFadzean clipped Ryan Shawcross inside the box, and Walters buried the resulting spot kick with an emphatic strike.
And Stoke then doubled the advantage seven minutes into the second half, with Crouch outmuscling Claude Davis to head a Glenn Whelan free kick into the top corner.
Steve Evans’ men responded with a Josh Simpson shot over the top, but when substitute Scott Neilson also missed the target, the frustration was evident around the ground. Sanchez Watt’s half-volley from Dean Howell’s low cross was deflected behind, and Crawley continued to pour forward as Howell saw a free kick neatly saved by Begovic in the Stoke goal.
It was not all one way traffic however as new-boy Rene Gilmartin needed sharp reactions to save a Walters shot which took a slight deflection with 20 minutes to play.
Crawley had long spells of possession in the second half, and after a patient move Watt flashed a shot over the top, and then shot straight at Begovic after Neilson’s run carved Stoke open. With 12 minutes to play, it was Watt’s turn to run at a back-tracking Stoke defence, and this time Mcfadzean’s back-post pass trickled out of play. Nobody could say the reds did not create opportunities, as Watt nodded a bouncing ball wide, and on another day they could have been level. Neilson’s deflected cross clipped the crossbar as Crawley launched attack after attack, but the ten-men stood firm, despite further chances for Barnett and a muted appeal for handball in stoppage time.
Crawley: Rene Gilmartin, Dean Hopwell, Pablo Mills, Claude Davis, David Hunt, Kyle McFadzean, Dannie Bulman, Sergio Torres, Josh Simpson, Sanchez Watt, Tyrone Barnett.
Subs: Michel Kuipers, Hope Akpan, Glenn Wilson, John Akinde, Charlie Wassmer, Scott Neilson (on for Hunt 48), Aaron Wickham.
Stoke: Asmir Begovic, Danny Collins, Glenn Whelan, Ryan Shawcross, Dean Whitehead, Jon Walters, Matthew Upson, Rory Delap, Peter Crouch, Ryan Shotton, Cameron Jerome.
Subs: Kenwyne Jones, Rocardo Fuller, Marc Wilson, Salif Diao, Matthew Etherington, Carlo Nash, Andy Wilkinson (on for Jerome 84).
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Weather for Crawley
Sunday 27 May 2012
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