Carlisle United 4 Crawley Town 2: Gabriele Cioffi's side shows fight after terrible start

Crawley Town conceded four goals in a disastrous opening 30 minutes which paved the way for a disappointing 4-2 defeat in Cumbria.
Ashley Nathaniel-George scored for Crawley Town during their 4-2 defeat at Carlisle United. Picture by Steve Robards.Ashley Nathaniel-George scored for Crawley Town during their 4-2 defeat at Carlisle United. Picture by Steve Robards.
Ashley Nathaniel-George scored for Crawley Town during their 4-2 defeat at Carlisle United. Picture by Steve Robards.

Goals by Nathan Thomas (two), Callum O'Hare and Hallam Hope set what proved to be a winning lead with only a third of the match played.

Reds pulled two goals back with one by Ashley Nathaniel-George with his second goal in two games to make it 4-1 at half-time and an own goal in the second half, but the deficit proved too much to overhaul.

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Head coach Gabriele Cioffi made one change to the side which drew with Notts County on Easter Monday with Reece Grego-Cox returning to the starting line-up in place of Luke Gambin.

Matty Willock returned to the subs' bench in place of Brian Galach, having recovered from injury.

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Carlisle took the lead in only the seventh minute when Nathan Thomas ran at the Reds' defence before blasting a shot past 'keeper Glenn Morris.

The Cumbrians then added a second two minutes later when Thomas scored again with an identical goal.

Carlisle made it 3-0 after just 20 minutes when Joe McNerney lost possession and Callum O'Hare netted the loose ball after Glenn Morris saved an initial shot by Regan Slater.

Thomas was denied a hat-trick from a similar position to his first two goals but the ball was deflected off Hallam Hope for a goal-kick.

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Carlisle increased their lead to 4-0 in the 31st minute when Hope seized upon a mistake by Filipe Morais on the edge of the area and and fired into the bottom corner of the net.

Ollie Palmer had a go from inside the box after being found by Lewis Young but the ball was tipped over the bar by 'keeper Adam Collin.

Grego-Cox had an attempt supplied by Nathaniel-George but the effort was blocked and cleared.

Nathaniel-George gave Reds hope with a goal to make it 4-1 just before half-time after a one-two with Palmer.

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In the second half Panutche Camara struck a shot from 25 yards but it went straight to Collin.

Cioffi made his first substitution of the game when he brought on Gambin in place of Palmer.

Grego-Cox had a go from a narrow angle which was saved and turned around for a corner.

Gambin looked dangerous after coming on put a good ball in front of goal which was parried by Collin but Morais lifted his shot over the bar from six yards.

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Cioffi them took Morais off and brought on the fit-again Manchester United loanee Willock from the bench.

Crawley then pulled a goal back with 14 minutes to go when a great ball by Young was put into his own net by Anthony Gerrard.

Reds put pressure on the home defence in the closing stages as they searched for a third goal as Grego-Cox was twice denied with good saves by Carlisle 'keeper Cullen.

Crawley Town: Morris, Young, McNerney, Grego-Cox, Palmer (Gambin 58), Nathaniel-George, Maguire, Dallison, Bulman (capt), Morais, Camara Subs: Mersin, Willock, Doherty, N'Gala, Sesay

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Carlisle United: Collin, Miller, Liddle, Gerrard (capt), Parkes, Jones, Hope, Slater, Thomas, O'Hare (Kennedy 24, Cullen 69), Scougall (Gillesphey 81)Subs: Gray, Glendon, Simpson, BranthwaiteReferee: Scott Oldham Attendance: 4,514 (76 away)