Crawley Town 2 Cambridge Utd 0: Reds get through in Johnstone’s Paint Trophy

An own goal forced by Gavin Tomlin early in the second half plus a well-worked finish by substitute Charles Banya with 14 minutes to go clinched the win.

John Gregory made six changes to his side and handed first starts to striker Matt Harrold who has had a knee operation, on loan midfielder Mitch Rose and new signing goalkeeper ex Leeds Utd Jamie Ashdown.

Sonny Bradley, Lewis Young and Emmett O’Connor came into the side. Gwion Edwards and Joe Walsh are away playing for the Wales Under-21s team, while Brian Jensen, Izale McLeod, Conor Henderson were rested and Bobson Bawling was injured.

Cambridge made three changes to the side which crushed Carlisle Utd 5-0 on Saturday with Luke Chadwick, Jayden Stockley, who scored twice from the bench in that game and Harry Lennon coming in.

In a quiet first half Crawley had chances on goal by Emmett O’Connor which flew well over the bar, Gavin Tomlin and Matt Harrold which both went wide.

Cambridge went close through Jayden Stockley who headed wide and lifted another effort over the bar.

Rose set up O’Connor for an attempt on goal which went just off-target.

Rose then fired over the bar at the end of a nice run which flew over the bar from 25-yards.

Crawley stepped up the pace at the start of the second half, boosted by an injection of energy in bringing on Charles Banya for Mitch Rose.

The change soon took had an effect as first Tomlin had a goal disallowed for offside, then from another move moments later, Young hit the post.

Crawley took the lead in the 53rd minute with a bizarre goal created from a ball by Tomlin which crept in despite a lunge after hitting Richard Tait as it rolled over the line.

The Reds kept up their pressure and Lanre Oyebano found Jimmy Smith who was in a shooting position outside the area but backheeled the ball to the opposition.

Both sides made substitutions - Gregory bringing on Izale McLeod for Ryan Dickson and playing all three strikers while Utd replaced Stockey up front with Sam Whittall, who soon looked threatening with a powerful 30-yard shot which looked like it was drifting in.

Cambridge’s Ryan Donaldson was booked for a dive in the area when challenged by Tomlin then Reds young former academy student Ryan Richefond came on in midfield for Harrold to make his debut.

Quick moving Banya scored Crawley’s second goal in the 76th minute by playing a neat one-two with Tomlin and racing into the area to beat keeper Chris Dunn.

Finally Yoiung had an opportunity to finish the game off in style in injury-time but lifted his attempt well off-target.

REDS: Ashdown, Oyebanjo, Dickson (McLeod 61), Leacock, Bradley, Smith, Young, Rose (Banya 46), Harrold, Tomlin, O’Connor.

Unused subs: Jensen, Richefond, Isaacs

CAMBRIDGE: Dunn, Tait, Taylor, Coulson, Donaldson, Champion (Hughes 9), R.Simpson (Taylor 90), Diallo, Chadwick, Stockley (Whittall 60), Lennon.

Unused subs: Norris, Hurst, Taylor.

REFEREE: Gavin Ward

ATTENDANCE: 1,252 (141 away)

OBSERVER MAN OF THE MATCH: Charles Banya