A brace from marksman Ollie Palmer meant that the Reds returned from the long trip to Home Park with a point. Palmer opened the scoring in the first half before Reds were pegged back in the second. Palmer then got his fourth goal in two games with a late header which meant the points were shared.
Head Coach John Yems made 2 changes to the side that beat Grimsby Town with Jamie Sendles-White & Tarryn Allarakhia coming in to replace Tom Dallison & Panutche Camara respectively.
With kick off delayed until 20:15 owing to local traffic congestion, you may have been able to accept a fatigued start from both sides but that wasn't the case.
Sarcevic had the first chance of the game for the hosts, but wasnt able to guide his header on target in the 9th minute. Reds were looking dangerous on the break however, and Ashley Nadesan did well to get in behind the Argyle backline after being fed by Palmer. With the angle tightening, Nadesan did well to sting the palms of the Argyle keeper and the half chance went begging. Argyle then came close again to opening the scoring on the 16 minute mark. Some neat inerplay on the edge of the Reds box resulted in Bakinson arrowing in a shot that Morris could only parry into the path of Moore, who was unable to convert inside the 6 yard area.
Reds certianly posed a threat on the break at Home Park and worked another chance on 20 minutes with Lubala's deflected effort unfortunatly looping into the arms of the Argyle keeper after his effort had been blocked. It was the Reds however that got the first goal of the game on 27 minutes. Ollie Palmer showed great feet to work the ball out wide to Ashley Nadesan. Nadesan drove towards the Plymouth box from out wide right and fizzed in a wicked ball that wasn't dealt with and Palmer was there to score his third goal in two games.
The home crowd were frustrated and Reds should have gone two up just past the half hour mark. Palmer in the Argyle goal elected to pass out from the back. With their backs turned the Argyle defence were caught on their heels. Crawley's own Palmer was in but his name sake in the Plymouth goal was able to make the save and spare his own blushes.
Argyle came close to an equaliser just before half time. Hardie was fed in down the Argyle left and after his inital effort was expertly blocked by the diving Tunnicliffe, Hardie's second effort was then well saved by Morris in the Crawley goal. Argyle were finishing the half strongly and were back on level terms from the spot after Lubala had brought down the onrushing Sarcevic in the Reds area. Sarcevic picked himself up and sent the ball straight down the middle to level the scores.
HALF TIME - PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1-1 CRAWLEY TOWN
Reds came out of the traps in the second half fast and were unlucky not to go ahead almost immediatley. Lubala drove down the Reds left and his cross was again only partially dealt with, and the lurking Palmer was unlucky not to make it two from a similar position to where he had netted his first. Argyle's first venture forward of the second period came on the 53rd minute, but after being slipped in behind the Reds defence, Hardie could only find the side netting. This was the start of a spell of Argyle pressure with the Reds finding themselves pinned back in their own half. The Reds still looked dangerous going forwards though and after Dacres-Cogley's cross found Lubala in the area, the former Birmingham mans set for Palmer was blocked behind for a Reds corner which the hosts were then able to clear. Morris was called into action in the Reds goal on 74 minutes getting a strong hand to a powerful drive from Sarcevic before making a superb block to deny Bakinson from close range. With the game looking to be heading for a draw, it was in fact Argyle who got a late winner. After Reds failed to clear their lines in the middle of the park, Jephcott was able to head home having been fed from the Crawley left hand side. The Reds sent on Reece Grego-Cox, Ricardo German and Jack Powell looking for an equaliser and it was the latter that played a part in the deserved Reds equaliser. Powell dinked in a superb ball up towards the far post. Jamie Sendles-White rose highest, nodding back across goal for Palmer to get his, and Reds second of the game and mean that the points were deservedly shared.
Crawley Town: Morris, Dacres-Cogley, Tunnicliffe, Sendles-White, Doherty, Francomb, Bulman, Allarakhia (German 88'), Lubala (Grego-Cox 85'), Nadesan, Palmer
Attendance: 9,184 (87 away fans)
