CRAWLEY TOWN 5 WOKING 3

Crawley Town 5 Woking 3
18 September 2007

Playing with ten men for most of the game after Paul Lorraine?s early dismissal, Woking battled gamely against a slick Crawley side who might have scored several more goals but for some fine saves from Nick Gindre.

The turning point came when Paul Lorraine was dismissed in the 9th minute as he handled to prevent a certain goal. The impressive Guy Madjo duly scored from the penalty spot. A characteristic run from Marvin Morgan, taking on four or five players before he was fouled just inside the box, produced a penalty at the other end in the 17th minute. Joe Gatting converted past Ashley Bayes to level the scores at 1-1.

Much Crawley pressure resulted in a second goal in the 33rd minute when Jon-Paul Pittman outjumped Jay Gasson and headed just inside Nick Gindre?s post. A barrage just before half-time produced the third Crawley goal as a lovely ball was slipped through the middle to Pittman. His first attempt was half-saved by Gindre but Pittman, following up, slammed the ball into the net for a 3-1 lead at half-time.

Woking made more of a game of it for the first quarter of an hour after the break before going 4-1 behind in the 62nd minute to a Thomas Pinault strike which took a deflection off Jay Gasson. Woking pulled yet another goal back in the 72nd minute when Ashley Bayes was unable to hold a free-kick and Joe Gatting lashed home from close range. But Crawley extended their lead to 5-2 in the 83rd minute when a chipped through ball fell between the Woking defenders and Nick Gindre, and Guy Madjo was able to plant the ball in an empty net.

Woking managed a final flourish in the 90th minute when substitute Paul Hakim hit a fine curling left-foot shot into the far corner to make the final score 5-3.

A full report will follow.