Reds maintained their record of scoring in every League game since March but Reece Grego-Cox’s second goal in as many games wasn’t enough to prevent Bradford from claiming a 2-1 win in Saturday’s League Two clash.
His goal rewarded a much-improved second-half display by Reds but the home side did enough to secure a victory that took them to second in the table.
Gabriele Cioffi had named an unchanged side after last Saturday’s 2-1 win over Colchester but the hosts began strongly, causing problems from wide areas and winning themselves a string of early corners which Crawley were able to deal with comfortably.
But Bradford’s pressure paid off on 18 minutes when dangerman Zeli Ismail skipped past Josh Doherty on the right flank with a sequence of step-overs before firing across an excellent ball to Harry Pritchard who tapped home from close range.
Daniel Devine replaced the injured goal scorer Pritchard at the break, and within three minutes of the re-start the substitute advanced towards goal and unleashed an effort which took a big deflection that left Glenn Morris helpless and put Bradford 2-0 up.
The second goal roused Reds. Ashley Nathaniel-George replaced Panutche Camara and Tarryn Allarakhia switched to a wide position and Crawley finally began to threaten.
Grego-Cox had a couple of half- chances before Reds pulled one back in the 81st minute when Grego-Cox was picked out by Allarakhia and made space to drill a low shot past the keeper to make it 2-1.
And in stoppage time Jordan Tunnicliffe nearly grabbed an equaliser when he met a corner with a firm header which Bantams’ keeper Richard O’Donnell pushed to safety.
Defeat dropped Reds to 13th in the table ahead of another tough assignment at third-placed Newport County on Tuesday.
Crawley Town: Morris; Doherty (Sesay 64’), Tunnicliffe, Dallison, Young ©; Ferguson, Camara (Nathaniel-George 54’), Allarakhia, Lubala, Grego-Cox, Bloomfield (Van Velzen 75’)
Unused subs: Luyambula, Sendles-White, Galach, Boadu.
Attendance: 13,813 (130 Crawley)
Pictured: Reece Grego-Cox stretches Bradford's defence. Photo by James Boardman
