A look ahead to our final game of 2019 on Saturday
SCENE SETTER
Reds round off 2018 with a trip to Newport County on Saturday – our eighth EFL meeting with the Exiles.
THE FORM GUIDE
Both teams are in poor form at the moment and will view this game as an opportunity to put that right. Since beating Newport 4-1 on October 20, Reds have only won once and picked up just four points from a possible 27. The home side, who lost 4-1 at home to Forest Green on Boxing Day, have lost seven of their last 11 in the League since the October meeting at The People’s Pension Stadium, drawing twice and beating Northampton and Colchester at home during that sequence.
THE HISTORY
Reds have won four and lost three of our previous seven games against Newport, all in League 2. We did the double over Newport in 2015-16, winning 3-0 away and 2-0 at home. The following season we beat Newport 3-1 at home but lost 1-0 away and last season the Exiles did the double over us, winning both games 2-1. Our win over Newport in October was the highlight of the season so far. Filipe Morais, Joe Maguire, Ollie Palmer and Ashley Nathaniel-George all found the target in a 4-1 triumph.
VIEW FROM THE DUGOUT
Gabriele Cioffi – We are in a tough moment, we know that. On Boxing Day, I thought first half we were good and I said to the players at half-time if we stepped our levels up we could win the game but it didn’t happen. We didn’t play the football we can and we suffered a late goal against us which is always tough.
The players have to take responsibility for their performances. I demand the best of them every game and I still believe in them 100 per cent. But they also know they can improve and that is what our aim must be on Saturday and then the next game and the games after that. We had a good performance against Newport earlier in the season and a good result but they are a tough opponent and strong at home so we will need to respond in the right way on Saturday.
Michael Flynn (Newport boss) - We changed some of the match-day preparations and warm-up (against Forest Green) because we haven’t been starting right but it didn’t matter what we did as we started poorly (again). It was really, really amateurish from start to finish and we need to find a reaction on Saturday.
INJURY NEWS
Filipe Morais (hand), Lewis Young (calf) and Jimmy Smith (knee) remain sidelined, although Morais is not far away from a return. Ollie Palmer is into the fourth game of a five-game ban.
Newport have defender Dan Butler, who was sent off on Boxing Day, available after he successfully appealed his red card but midfielder Joss Labadie has suffered a reaction after knee surgery and faces another spell on the sidelines.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Antony Coggins is in charge tomorrow. It will be his second Crawley appointment of the season – he was also in charge for the 4-0 home loss to MK Dons in November.
He did three Reds games last season – the 4-0 loss at Wycombe, 2-0 defeat at home to Colchester and 2-2 draw at Exeter City.
In 22 games this campaign he has issued three red and 85 yellow cards.
On Saturday he will be assisted by Paul Hobday and Andrew Laver. The fourth official is Thomas Harty.
HOW THEY BET
League sponsors SkyBet have Newport 7/10 on favourites. Reds are 10/3 to pick up what would be their first away win since September 8 with the draw 14/5.
MATCH COVERAGE
The game will be available to listen to via iFollow Crawley for those who are already subscribed. There will be live coverage from 2.55pm with BBC Sussex’s Gary Smith commentating and Tom Allman summarising.
Check out the official Crawley Town Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all the latest throughout the afternoon.
