CRAWLEY Town crashed to a 3-0 defeat at League 2 title rivals Swindon Town tonight.
Goals from Luke Rooney, Billy Bodin and Paul Benson put Crawley to the sword on a difficult evening in front of a passionate home support as the Robins completed the double over Steve Evans’ men.
Scott Shearer missed out with the knee injury sustained against Cheltenham Town seven days ago, allowing Michel Kuipers to make his first start since Swindon beat Crawley 3-0 at the Broadfield Stadium in September. Otherwise, Reds were unchanged from the side which beat Cheltenham 4-2, while Swindon boss Paolo Di Canio - watching from the stands as he starts a two match touchline ban - made three changes from the team which reached the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy final last week.
In an encouraging start, Reds were on the front foot early on, after Simon Ferry had given the ball away for the hosts Crawley built a sweeping second minute move, which saw Sanchez Watt and Billy Clarke combine to release Dean Howell down the left, and his cross shaved the top of the crossbar. And it was another cross which almost led to a Crawley goal in the 11th minute, Clarke’s whipped corner was punched away from under his own crossbar by Swindon stopper Wes Foderingham.
A quiet start to the match exploded to life when last man Claude Davis was only booked for hauling Bodin down on the halfway line as the Swindon striker was released and looked clean through.
The temperature rose further when Crawley had a huge let off, when Swindon had a goal chalked off for offside when Luke Rooney’s shot was blocked on the line by two of his own players before it was finally prodded in by Bodin.
But there were no complaints on 39 minutes when Rooney netted after Alessandro Cibocchi’s excellent free kick came off the post, and transfer window signing Rooney slid the ball in off the far post. Swindon enjoyed the better of the remainder of the half, getting particular joy down the right through Paul Caddis.
But the Reds held firm until the break, and might have got back on terms when Pablo Mills met David Hunt’s long throw with a thumping header which Wes Foderingham tipped over the bar, and the Robins keeper was equal to Crawley’s best again deep into first half stoppage time, saving brilliantly from Kyle McFadzean’s ten yard volley.
The hosts ramped up the pressure early in the second half and roared into a 2-0 lead when Bodin scored an incredible goal, lashing his volley over Kuipers from 25 yards. Crawley responded well to going further behind, substitute Karl Hawley headed over, and Foderingham comfortably held at Clarke free kick. A magnificent goal made it 3-0 with 23 minutes remaining in the half, Alan McCormack was involved three times in a superb flowing move down Swindon’s left, and Benson applied the finishing touch to score the third. A terrific save from Kuipers then denied Swindon a fourth after Rooney’s mazy solo run. Kuipers was also at full stretch to deny Benson a second, and sub Raffaele De Vita lashed the rebound across the face of goal.
Swindon: Wes Foderingham, Joe Devera, Paul Caddis, Simon Ferry, Paul Benson, Matt Ritchie, Alan McCormack, Luke Rooney, Jonathan Smith, Alessandro Cibocchi, Billy Bodin.
Subs: Daniel Boateng, Lee Cox (on for Ferry 35), Raffaele De Vita (on for Rooney 78), Lukas Magera, Ronan Murray (on for Bodin 86).
Crawley: Michel Kuipers, David Hunt, Dean Howell, Claude Davis, Pablo Mills, Sergio Torres, Dannie Bulman, Kyle McFadzean, Sanchez Watt, Tyrone Barnett, Billy Clarke.
Subs: Scott Shearer, Hope Akpan, Josh Simpson (on for Torres 63), Karl Hawley (on for Watt 55), Scott Neilson (on for Mills 77).