Crawley picked up their seventh away win of the season away at Harrogate Town this evening. New signing Aramide Oteh scored the opening goal with a brilliant solo effort, but just minutes later, Brahima Diarra equalised for the home side. Crawley’s persistence paid dividends once again as Nick Tsaroulla put Crawley back ahead in the 79th minute. Tom Nichols sealed the deal with a brilliant strike in the 84th minute to send Crawley home with all three points.
Crawley started well and almost took the lead four minutes into the affair. Tom Nichols linked up well with Isaac Hutchinson on the left-wing, which gave the new signing space to whip in a cross. Hutchinson fired a ball across the deck, which just evaded the toes of both Aramide Oteh and Will Ferry.
Harrogate responded with a very good chance of their own. In a very similar fashion to Crawley’s opening chance, a ball was flashed across the penalty area with pace. Striker Luke Armstrong met the cross well but failed to find the target.
Will Ferry then forced an outstanding save from Mark Oxley. The young Irishman picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and curled a delightful effort at goal. Ferry’s strike was destined for the top corner, but the Harrogate goalkeeper did very well to tip over the bar. Jordan Tunnicliffe then rattled the bar from the resulting corner. Tunnicliffe’s header had everyone beaten except the woodwork.
Nichols is on fine form for the Reds and almost added to his tally with ten minutes to go in the first half. The striker created the chance by himself, twisting and turning in the opposition box to create space. Once space was found, Nichols struck an effort at goal, which former Port Vale centre-back Leon Legge crucially blocked.
Crawley were much the better side in the first half. Several chances were defended well by the home side, who looked dangerous on the counter-attack.
The Reds kept up the pressure at the start of the second half and got their just rewards as Aramide Oteh netted his first goal for the club. It was a tremendous effort from the striker, who picked up the ball midway inside the Harrogate half, weaved in and out of defenders, and placed the ball in the bottom corner.
It didn’t take long for the home slide to equalise. Brahima Diarra cut inside of Nick Tsaroulla on the edge of the area, and with the help of a deflection, found the bottom corner. Morris was helpless as a nick off a Crawley defender took it just beyond his reach.
The game died down after the Harrogate equaliser as both sides failed to create any clear cut chances in what was becoming a nervy affair.
That was until Nick Tsaroulla popped up at the back post to put Crawley ahead with only ten minutes to go. Nichols was at the forefront once again. The striker worked his way to the byline and drilled a ball across the deck to Tsaroulla, who smashed into an empty net at the back post.
Things only got better for Crawley as Tom Nichols curled a glorious effort into the back of the net from range. Nico was once again first to the ball on the edge of the area, and after a cheeky fake shot, curled a simply brilliant effort past Oxley in the Harrogate goal.
The Reds saw out the remainder of the fixture to pick up another brilliant set of points on the road.
REDS XI: Morris, Francomb, Craig, Tunnicliffe, Tsaroulla, Hutchinson (Tilley 45’), Payne, Powell, Ferry (Grego-Cox 70’), Oteh (Nadean 60’), Nichols
