Omar Bogle scored the only goal of the game as Crawley fell to defeat at The People’s Pension Stadium. Bogle’s strike in the 40th minute proved costly for the Reds, who lost James Tilley to a horror head injury early in the second half.
It was a lightning-quick start for the Reds, who within the first two minutes forced a strong save from Ben Killip and hit the woodwork. Nick Tsaroulla almost added his second goal of the week after a neat interchange with Ashley Nadesan inside the Hartlepool penalty area. Killip stuck out a leg to block the full-back’s effort. The resulting corner was headed against the crossbar by Jack Payne, who came flying in at the back post.
The game showed no signs of slowing as just moments later, Crawley struck the woodwork once more. Jack Powell lined up a free-kick from around 30-yards out. The midfielder could not have hit the ball any sweeter and was so unfortunate to see his effort crash off the frame of the goal.
The game then reached a sudden halt, and for the next 30 minutes, neither side created a chance. The only notable event was Will Ferry being replaced by Sam Matthews in the 25th minute in what looked like a purely tactical based decision.
The visitors were slowly building into the game, and with only five minutes to until half-time, took the lead. Tsaroulla blocked an effort from Jamie Sterry, but the rebound fell kindly to Omar Bogle. The striker composed himself and curled an effort into the far corner to put his side ahead.
Crawley could not muster up a response in the remaining five minutes and trailed at the break.
The second half started on a very sombre note as James Tilley suffered what appeared to be a very serious head injury. Tilley was treated for around ten minutes before being whisked away on a stretcher.
The Reds were working themselves back into the game and began to put together some decent sequences in the final third. Nadesan almost headed Crawley level in the 75th minute, but Killip was equal to the strikers’ effort.
Hutchinson and Powell both hit weak efforts at goal as the Reds searched for an equaliser in the eleven added minutes.
All in all, Crawley will be disappointed not to take at least a point from this fixture as Hartlepool walk away with all three.
REDS XI: Morris, Francomb, Craig, Tunnicliffe, Tsaroulla, Ferry (Matthews 25’), Payne (Davies 70’), Powell, Tilley (Hutchinson 49’), Nadesan, Oteh (Grego-Cox 88’)
