Carabao Cup: Birmingham City 5 Crawley 1 - Reds defeated by Blues

Crawley Town bowed out of the Carabao Cup in the first round when they were comfortably beaten 5-1 by Birmingham City.
Crawley v Chelsea XI. Panutche Camara. Pic Steve Robards SR1716763 SUS-170718-145514001Crawley v Chelsea XI. Panutche Camara. Pic Steve Robards SR1716763 SUS-170718-145514001
Crawley v Chelsea XI. Panutche Camara. Pic Steve Robards SR1716763 SUS-170718-145514001

Former Sheffield United player Che Adams scored a hat-trick and there was also a brace for David Davis.

Reds finished on a high with a spectacular 85th minute consolation goal by substitute Panutche Camara.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harry Kewell made nine changes to the side which lost 3-1 to Port Vale on Saturday.

Matt Harrold came in as captain and there were also starts for Dean Cox, Kaby Djalo, Josh Payne, Dennon Lewis, making his starting debut, Andre Blackman, Joe McNerney, Aryan Tajbakhsh and Moussa Sanoh

Harry Redknapp’s Blues made five changes from the line-up which lost 1-0 to Ipswich Town with Paul Robinson coming in from suspension as captain.

Reds twice went close in the opening stages when Cox’s cross to Harrold in the area was cleared, then Sanoh had a shot blocked.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Adams gave Birmingham the lead in the 28th minutes when he combined with Davis from a quick free-kick and scored from 20 yards.

City nearly added to the scoreline when keeper Glenn Morris held the ball from a chip which hit the post.

Birmingham made it 3-0 on the half hour by scoring twice in two minutes, firstly Davis finishing low beyond Morris, then Adams with his second of the evening from close-range following a corner.

Blues added a fourth three minutes into the second half when substitute Robert Tesche, who had replaced double scorer Davis, headed in Cotterill’s cross.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Crawley made their first substitution, bringing on Saturday’s man of the match and goalscorer Enzio Boldewijn for Djalo.

Kewell then brought on Billy Clifford for Tajbakhsh.

City made it 5-0 on 66 minutes when Adams completed his hat-trick with a low finish.

Town brought on one of the stars of pre-season, striker Camara with 20 minutes to go in place of Sanoh.

Crawley went close to getting on the scoresheet when Blackman’s drive was saved by keeper Tomasz Kuszczak before at the other end Morris saved superbly to deny Cotterill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harrold nearly scored but hit the side-netting before Gardner curled a free-kick wide for the hosts.

Cox then had a penalty appeal turned down when he was brouhgt down in the box.

Former Dulwich Hamlet striker Panutche then scored a consolation goal with five minutes to go with a well-taken shot from the edge of the box, having been set-up by Clifford for his first goal at Football League level.

REDS: Morris, Tajbakhsh, McNerney, Yorwerth, Blackman, Lewis, Payne, Djalo (Boldewijn 52), Cox, Harrold (capt), Sanoh

Subs: Mersin, Young, Roberts, Lelan, Clifford, Camara

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Birmingham City: Kuszczak, Nsue (Harding 59), Grounds, Roberts, Kieftenbeld, Adams (Gardner 70), Maghoma, Cotterill, Davis (Tesche 46), Robinson (capt), Gleeson

Subs: Stockdale, Donaldson, Ndoye, Morrison

Referee: Michael Salisbury

Attendance: 7,814 (133 away)