After a fortnight’s break, the Reds are back in action on Saturday afternoon as we host Northampton Town at the Broadfield Stadium, 3pm kick off.
With no FA Cup action for the Reds last weekend, and the postponement of the match at Mansfield on 27th November, Gabriele Cioffi and his men are relishing the chance to get back on the pitch and will take on a Northampton team with two wins in their last five Sky Bet League Two matches.
The Cobblers have won twice on the road this season, recording a 2-1 win at Colchester United in September, and an impressive 5-0 drubbing of Macclesfield Town in October. They also won on their last trip to West Sussex – a 2-1 victory in November 2015.
HEAD TO HEAD
That win for the Cobblers is their only success at the Broadfield, but they did also beat us in the return game that season too by the same 2-1 scoreline thanks to goals from Ricky Holmes and John Joe O’Toole. Gwion Edwards’ late strike was a consolation for Crawley.
They were only our third and fourth league meetings respectively with both sides having spent most of their history in different divisions. The first two meetings saw Crawley wins in our first Football League season. Matt Tubbs scored the only goal in a live Sky Sports fixture at Sixfields in October 2011 when we ran out 1-0 winners.
We were 3-0 up before half time as Scott Neilson, Billy Clarke and an own goal put us in charge. Brett Williams’ second half strike meant the game ended 3-1.
Back in 1991, the Reds recorded one of their best FA Cup results prior to 2010 when they beat Third Division Northampton 4-2 at the old Town Mead ground. Crawley went on to reach the third round of the cup and were eventually beaten 5-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion at the Goldstone Ground.
ONE TO WATCH
Dutch striker Kevin Van Veen joined Northampton in January following a move from Scunthorpe United, a club where he scored 20 times in three seasons and became a regular goalscorer. Ten of those came in the 2016-17 season, his second best return of his career and best in the Football League. Van Veen began his career in his native Netherlands with the PSV Eindhoven academy before joining Helmond Sport.
During his career in the Netherlands, Van Veen produced an incredible run of form for Dijske Boys, UDI 19, JVC Cuijk and FC Oss. It was at Cuijk where he scored 20 in 29 games, and for UDI he scored 16 in 23. He also scored twice for SC Cambuur on loan in a short spell between his move from Scunthorpe to the Cobblers.
OPPOSITION VIEW
Read what Northampton boss Keith Curle has to say ahead of Saturday's game here
TICKETS
Tickets for this fixture are available from now up until kick off on Saturday and can be bought from the ticket office (Friday 9am-4.30pm, Sat 10am) and from Redz Bar and cash pods by the south terrace. You can also call 01293 410000 to purchase over the phone for collection at the stadium.
Unfortunately online ticket facility is currently unavailable.
COVERAGE
Saturday’s match will be live on iFollow for all subscribers (audio only in the UK) with commentary from BBC Sussex and Surrey’s Gary Smith and summariser Tony Vessey.
Keep an eye out the Reds official social media channels – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – for behind the scenes coverage across the afternoon.
As always, there will be full reaction and a match report on our website.
Pictured: Jimmy Smith and John Joe-O'Toole contest the midfield battle during our last game against the Cobblers in April 2016.