Crawley boss Yates: We were still in the game after 76 minutes

Crawley Town manager Mark Yates thought his side did not deserve to lose 3-0 after matching their opponents for much of the game.
Crawley Town V Cambridge 9/1/16 Matt Harrold scores (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-160901-191452008Crawley Town V Cambridge 9/1/16 Matt Harrold scores (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-160901-191452008
Crawley Town V Cambridge 9/1/16 Matt Harrold scores (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-160901-191452008

He believed they were still in contention until Liam Lawrence’s brilliant free-kick in the 76th minute made it 2-0.

Yates did not blame goalkeeper Callum Preston for nay of the goals but will be looking into the lack of marking from his defence which allowed Rovers to score the first and third goals, headed in identically from corners.

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He said: “Once the second goal went in, you could see what a decent team they are.

Crawley Town V Bristol Rovers (Pic by Jon & Joe Rigby) SUS-151121-221455008Crawley Town V Bristol Rovers (Pic by Jon & Joe Rigby) SUS-151121-221455008
Crawley Town V Bristol Rovers (Pic by Jon & Joe Rigby) SUS-151121-221455008

“Up until then it was very nip and tuck, I thought we had a few good chances. I thought we had a blatant shout for a penalty, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

“I am delighted we have got 47 points with six games to go. We’ve not looked over our shoulders too despairingly over the last few months and that was always the worry.

“I’m delighted that the players have got us in this position and for the next six games we can just go out and have a go.

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“I am disappointed that we conceded three set-pieces, two from corners.

Crawley Town V Bristol Rovers (Pic by Jon & Joe Rigby) SUS-151121-221455008Crawley Town V Bristol Rovers (Pic by Jon & Joe Rigby) SUS-151121-221455008
Crawley Town V Bristol Rovers (Pic by Jon & Joe Rigby) SUS-151121-221455008

“We’ve changed markers for the second one, we’ve sent on a player to mark him (Matty Taylor), he evaded him, and he’s evaded plenty of other players this season, he’s the top scorer in the league but you would hope we would do better than that.

“I felt in the first half we worked really hard. It wasn’t our gameplan just to sit-in.

“They put us under pressure but they didn’t look like they could really hurt us. It didn’t look like they could break us down.

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“In the second half I asked for a bit more possession and we had that and from one of our chances they broke and scored the first goal.

“I don’t think Callum’s (Preston) had a save to make, bar a few from long-range which went high and wide.

“We defended really well and our shape was really good and you thought we had a chance.

“I thought we had a blatant penalty: Matt Harrold was being absolutely man-handled in the box from a corner. right in front of the referee’s eyes, Matt had deliberately come out to show him and the lad is absolutely holding him to pieces but he didn’t give it.

“But then the goals changed everything.

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“We thought the free-kick was soft for the second goal, and then scored a worldy in the top corner.

“The second goal deflated us and gave them an extra yard. We tried to be positive and keep two up top but they’re full of confidence and they started knocking it about a little bit.

“For 75 minutes we were right in the game.”

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