The Red Devils picked up three points in dramatic fashion once again this afternoon as Danilo Orsi netted a 95th-minute winner against his old club. Crawley were 2-0 down during the first half, but a quick seven-minute comeback saw the two sides enter the half-time break level at 2-2. The game looked destined to end as a draw, but Orsi was on hand to smash home from six yards to wrap up three points.
The home side made a very bright start to proceedings, and Crawley had goalkeeper Corey Addai to thank in the opening minutes as the shot-stopper made a couple of vital saves. The pick of the bunch denied Kamil Pyke, who raced through on goal with no Crawley defenders to be seen. Addai spread himself well and blocked Pyke's effort.
Crawley didn’t seem themselves in the opening 30 minutes but did start to put together some tidy passages of play together after 15 minutes. Jake Eastwood wasn’t troubled in the Grimsby goal until later in the half.
A crazy 11 minutes then proceeded, in which four goals were scored. Grimsby took a two-goal lead with goals in the 24th and 30th minute, as the Reds looked well off the pace. Gavan Holohan netted for the Mariners first as he mopped up a dangerous cross that seemed to clear Addai and come off the upright.
Things went from bad to worse for Crawley, as Abo Eisa netted Grimsby’s second only six minutes later. Eisa, who was returning from an injury, seemed to glide through Crawley’s defence before poking the ball into the far corner.
Many would have had Crawley down and out at this stage, but Scott Lindsey’s side showed their character and resilience and brought the tie back to level terms within seven minutes.
Liam Kelly netted his first Crawley goal in fantastic style as he lobbed Jake Eastwood with a beautiful chipped finish from the edge of the box. That was no more than Kelly deserved, as he had come close to scoring some belters for Crawley in his previous few matches.
Ronan Darcy scored the equaliser with a tidy downward volley in the 35th minute. Kelly turned provider as he clipped the ball to the back post, where Darcy lay in wait. The wing-back guided his effort into the ground, which saw it fly over Eastwood and into the top corner.
The second half was slightly less dramatic than the first, but there was still a decent amount of chances for both sides.
Crawley came closest to taking the lead in the 52nd minute when Adam Campbell was fed the ball on the edge of the area, but the forward failed to find the target as he was forced to watch his effort whistle past the post.
The home side still looked dangerous and perhaps should have taken the lead when Harry Clifton raced through on goal in the 79th minute. The Grimbsy man had only Addai to beat, but the Crawley goalkeeper spread himself well and blocked Clifton’s effort with an outstretched leg.
Just as the tie looked destined to end as a draw. Danilo Orsi popped up with a goal in the 95th minute to seal all three points for Scott Lindsey’s travelling Reds. Aaron Henry whipped a ball to the back post, which was met by Harry Forster. Forster’s touch fell nicely to Orsi, who had the pleasure of smashing the ball home against his former side to snatch the win at the death.
Grimsby still had time to respond, and had it not been for a world-class save from Corey Addai at the last kick of the game, the home side would have grabbed a point.
REDS XI: Addai, Darcy (Forster 75’), Wright, Conroy, Maguire, Tsaroulla, Williams, Kelly, Campbell (Lolos 69’), Gladwin (Henry 87’), Orsi
