Coventry City 2 Crawley Town 2: Edwards and McLeod goals seal great fightback

Crawley Town made a heroic comeback from the brink of defeat to earn an excellent away draw thanks to goals by Gwion Edwards and Izale McLeod.
Crawley V Leyton Orient - Crawley's Gwion Edwards (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-140422-142724002Crawley V Leyton Orient - Crawley's Gwion Edwards (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-140422-142724002
Crawley V Leyton Orient - Crawley's Gwion Edwards (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-140422-142724002

During an amazing first half which featured four goals, Reds made a disastrous start by going 2-0 behind away from home in only 28 minutes.

Both goals came from poor defending. John Fleck’s 15th minute free-kick was stopped by Crawkley keeper Jamie Ashdown but then spilled to the feet of Josh McQuoid which presented him with a simple tap-in.

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Coventry’s McQuoid had two more chances which went wide from the edge of the area, then headed Jim O’Brien’s cross from the right over the bar as the home side looked well in command.

Coventry went 2-0 up when McQuoid gteed up Simeon Jackson with a an easy chance which he scored from the right of the area, beating Ashdown to tuck inside the opposite post.

Crawley made just one change from the side which beat Yeovil 2-0 last weekend with skipper Josh Simpson ruled out by a hamstring injury having only returned to the side for one game following an ankle injury sustained on the opening day of the season.

Bobson Bawling took his place and played in an advanced midfield role on the right with Gwion Edwards doing the same on the left and Izale McLeod as the lone striker.

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Crawley had not really had a look in during the first half hour, their only shot coming from a free-kick by Jimmy Smith which was easily held by keeper Ryan Allsop.

Crawley got themselves back into the game with a superbly-taken goal by Gwion Edwards just five minutes later.

He cut inside the area from the left and curled a shot inside the far post for a great finish.

The Reds had boosted their confidence with the goal and went in search for an equaliser when Smith fired a shot from 12 yards striaght at Allsop’s legs.

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But moments later in the 37th minute Crawley were unexpectedly back on level terms thanks to a ball by Edwards through a non-existent defence for McLeod to score from short-tange.

Both sides drew breath in the last few minutes before half-time with Jackson’s attempt going wide being the last attempt on goal of the half.

Full of expectation, the second half offered little by way of excitement for either sets of fans.

Coventry substitute Jordan Clarke lifted an effort narrowly over the bar, Jackson blasted narrowly wide from 20 yards and McQuoid had a couple for attempts fly off-target.

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But neither keeper was required to make an outright save in the end both teams cancelled each other out and settled for a draw which was a great point for the Reds.

REDS: Ashdown, Oyebanjo, Leacock, Edwards, Smith, McLeod (Harrold 85), Walsh, Kean, Bawling (Young 60), Sadler, Elliott

Unused subs: Jensen, Bradley, Wright, Banya, Tomlin

Coventry City: Allsop, Willis, Pugh, Webster, Thomas (Coulibaly 76), Fleck, McQuoid (Miller 85), O’Brien, Jackson, Phillips (Clarke 38), Hines

Unused subs: Burge, Barton, Tudgay, Finch

REFEREE: G Sailsbury

ATTENDANCE: 7,708 (240 away)