Crawley see off struggling Grimsby with 3-0 win as resurgence of form continues

Crawley Town players celebrate their first goal scored by Jimmy Smith.
Picture by Steve Robards — Crawley Town players celebrate their first goal scored by Jimmy Smith. Picture by Steve Robards

Goals from Jimmy Smith, Karlan Ahearne-Grant and Enzio Boldewijn were enough to see off the Mariners for their seventh win in eight games.

Harry Kewell made one change to the side which won 2-1 at Chesterfield with Josh Lelan coming in for Mark Randall, who started on the bench.

Grimsby, who were without a win in 11 league games, faced a Crawley side who have earned the most points in League Two since December.

Action from Crawley Town v Grimsby Town.
Picture by Steve Robards. — Action from Crawley Town v Grimsby Town. Picture by Steve Robards.

Despite this stark difference in form, the two sides played out an even first half, with both having their chances to take the lead.

Boldewijn had the Reds’ first chance of the game, when he got on the end of a good Lewis Young cross, but his header was too high to trouble the keeper.

Their best chances from open play came on 22 minutes, when Smith had a good effort from just inside the box well saved but it only went as far as Thomas Verheydt who's shot also couldn’t find its way past Ben Killip in goal.

The visitors didn’t go unnoticed, forcing Glenn Morris into two good saves.

Enzio Boldewijn is floored which led to a penalty being awarded and Reds' first goal.
Picture by Steve Robards — Enzio Boldewijn is floored which led to a penalty being awarded and Reds' first goal. Picture by Steve Robards

Yorwerth was then booked for a cynical challenge as Grimsby continued to threaten.

However, Crawley stood firm and were presented a chance to take the lead on the stroke of half time, when the referee saw fit to give a penalty after Boldewijn drew a foul in the box.

Skipper Smith stepped up to confidently dispatch the ball in the bottom right corner for his seventh goal of the season, even though Killip guessed the right way.

The Mariners brought on Sam Kelly for Mallik Wilks for the second half, in search for their much-needed equaliser.

Much of the same end to end football was on display, with Grimsby threatening early on before Ahearne-Grant broke away with speed, and played in Boldewijn, who saw his deflected effort glance just wide of the post.

Moments after Randall was introduced for Young, Ahearne-Grant excellently cut inside from the left and fired a shot into the far corner to mark his home debut with his second goal in two games.

Just over five minutes later, Randall’s well-weighted pass found Boldewijn in space, before the winger delicately chipped the ball over the on-rushing keeper.

Crawley saw out the game for the last ten minutes to seal the clean sheet and yet another win as their remarkable resurgence continues.

Crawley: Morris, Young (Randall 61), Lelan, Connolly, Yorwerth, Doherty, Bulman, Smith (capt) (Payne 72), Ahearne-Grant (Sanoh 80), Boldewijn, Verheydt

Unused subs: Mersin, Tajbakhsh, McNerney, Evina

Grimsby: Killip, Dixon, Clarke (capt), Berrett, Mills, Osborne, Wilks (Kelly 46), Summerfield, Woolford, C.Vernam (Hooper 70), Jackson

Unused subs: Warrington, Matt, Hall-Johnson, S.Vernam, Sulliman

Man of the Match: Glenn Morris

Attendance: 2055 (242 away fans)