Competition: Carlsberg FA Trophy, 2nd round
Weather at kick-off: misty, cold
Goals:
Weatherstone 10', Pittman 56', 85', 88' (Malcolm missed pen 70'), Quinn 90'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Jon Challinor, Phil Bolland, Wayne Hatswell, Anthony Tonkin; Robbie Willmott, Paul Carden (c), Ben Farrell (Sam Ives 87'), Felino Jardim (Courtney Pitt, 60'); Mark Beesley, Chris Holroyd (Danny Crow 60').
Subs not used: Josh Coulson, Gavin Hoyte.

Booked: Farrell foul 51', Challinor foul 54', 69', Pitt foul 87'
Sent off: Challinor 70' (second yellow)

Crawley Town:
Simon Rayner, Glenn Wilson, Adam Quinn, Jake Wright, Sam Rents; Lewis Chalmers (Thomas Pinault 86'), Simon Weatherstone, Dannie Bulman (c); Michael Malcolm, Steve Fletcher (Danny Mills 87'), Jon-Paul Pittman (Mithun Nayee 89').
Subs not used: Jamie Stephens, Paul Raynor.

Booked: Chalmers foul 21', Bulman foul 90'

Gary Brabin made three changes to the side that drew 2-2 at home to Stevenage two-and-a-half weeks ago, calling up Jon Challinor, Mark Beesley and Felino Jardim in place of Dan Gleeson (suspended), Scott Rendell (returned to Peterborough) and Courtney Pitt.

A low turnout in the stands created a strangely quiet and subdued atmosphere, but United created the first opening after just two minutes when Anthony Tonkin made a good overlapping run but his cross was just too far ahead of Mark Beesley. A quick counter by Crawley saw Pittman threaten to break into space but stand-in right-back Jon Challinor was well-placed to make a good interception.

Ben Farrell did well three minutes later to win possession in the middle with a strong challenge and picked out the scurrying Robbie Willmott, but the youngster took an early shot from outside the area and lifted it over the bar.

With the atmosphere more reminiscent of a reserve game, the apathy seemed to affect United's defence in the tenth minute when a Crawley clearance was headed on and allowed to bounce, and with the defenders playing statues Simon Weatherstone darted in to walk the ball home.

There was a confrontation between the managers soon afterwards when Steve Evans took loud exception as play continued with one of his players lying on the pitch, and U's physio Greg Reid stepped in to intervene.

With United getting back into the game, Wayne Hatswell's 18th minute low free kick was cleared to Paul Carden and he stung the goalkeeper's hands with a powerful shot that Rayner caught at the second attempt.

The first booking came on 21 when Lewis Chalmers was punished for an awful challenge from behind on Challinor, and soon afterwards the lively Willmott earned a corner when he flighted a dangerous cross towards Jardim cutting in at the far post, forcing the defence to clear it behind.

United's men tried hard to get back on terms and went close on 26 when Chris Holroyd was upended near the corner flag, and Tonkin met the resulting free kick with a thunderous shot that cannoned off a defender and away.

There was no lack of effort from the United men, with Beesley showing some good touches and ideas, Holroyd full of running as ever and Willmott and Jardim having some joy down the wings, but despite good spells of possession the moves often broke down with the final ball. Jardim tried to make the most of a half-chance with an angled shot but could only fire wide, and on 42 Willmott met a long throw and tried to curl a shot with the outside of his boot but it flew just wide.

With stoppage time approaching Crawley made a rare breakaway and forced Tonkin into conceding a corner, soon afterwards a flying run by Jardim drew a tackle that left him, the ball and the defender in the advertising hoarding, but there was to be no breakthrough before the half-time whistle.

Half-time summary from match commentator Mark Johnson:
"United have had plenty of the ball but created little and were undone by a defensive error early on. There are signs of improvement but they still need to trouble the visiting keeper."

Second half:
United resumed at a higher tempo and Holroyd went on a good run in the opening seconds, turning two men before unleashing a shot, and moments later Challinor's drive was juggled and smothered by the keeper at the second attempt.

Ben Farrell collected the game's second booking in the 51st minute when Chalmers made a meal of his challenge, and another - ultimately costly - yellow card quickly followed when Challinor charged across to stop the threat of a Crawley breakaway.

Dannie Bulman had a shot blocked following the free kick, but on 56 the U's defence was caught out again when a through ball found Pittman in acres of space and he coolly beat Potter to put his side further ahead.

The subdued atmosphere erupted into angry shouts from sections of the home crowd as Gary Brabin began to make immediate preparations for a substitution, and Bulman had a low long-range shot collected comfortably by Potter.

A double change followed on the hour as Danny Crow replaced Holroyd and Courtney Pitt came on for Jardim, and moments later United's main outlet Willmott twisted and turned to make space for a shot that cleared the bar by inches.

Brabin showed his frustration at the lack of movement when Danny Crow held up the ball in a good position but there was no one arriving in support and he was closed down, and on 64 Hatswell's free kick was punched away by Rayner as an equaliser continued to elude the U's.

A promising break came to nothing soon afterwards when Willmott released Farrell who cut into the area but slipped as he was about to cross the ball, and as he tried to regain possession Crawley defender Wilson threw himself down under the challenge in a clear attempt to get Farrell booked again.

Then on 70, with Crawley pushing forward, Michael Malcolm succeeded where Wilson failed as he darted into the area then threw himself to the ground in the vicinity of Jon Challinor, and referee Naylor responded with a penalty award and a second yellow for Challinor. The U's man trudged off as Malcolm stepped up, but his spot kick was superbly parried at full-stretch by Danny Potter.

The U's keeper launched a quick breakaway through Willmott to Beesley who picked out Crow, but the striker was wrong-footed as he met the ball and the shot was saved. Chalmers fired wide at the other end, and then on 74 Pitt was sent sprawling right on the edge of the area and Willmott's low free kick bounced off Crow for a goal kick.

With ten minutes remaining, Tonkin made a foray down the left and crossed towards Pitt as he found space in the middle but was denied by a brilliant interception. United's men were working hard to make up for their numerical disadvantage, but with the forwards having to drop deeper to get the ball there was often a lack of support up front and Crawley continued to threaten on the break.

With five minutes remaining, it was from such a breakaway that Crawley found they had two men over as Pittman raced onto a through ball, settling the match with a classy finish as he curled a shot past Potter.

A flurry of substitutions followed as stoppage time approached, Pinault and Mills coming on for Crawley, Pitt booked for a foul, and then Sam Ives came on for his senior debut when he replaced Farrell in the 87th minute.

The youngster had only been on the pitch for a minute when a free kick was nodded on to the impressive Pittman to complete his hat-trick and signal many early departures from the Main Stand. Pittman made way for Nayee a minute later and there was still time for further chances and another goal in stoppage time.

First Crow released Tonkin but the fullback's cross was blocked, then Bulman was booked and Willmott lifted the resulting free kick over the wall and into the sidenetting, and finally deep in stoppage time a free kick was delivered into the area and headed powerfully home by Adam Quinn to make the final score an emphatic 5-0.

Referee: Mr Michael Naylor

Attendance: 1,233 (away 25)

Match Summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"The U's crashed out of the FA Trophy in humiliating fashion, demolished 5-0 at home to Crawley. But despite the lopsided scoreline, for long spells it was a case of so near, yet so far. Falling behind after just ten minutes, United played some decent stuff at times but couldn't find the final pass to set up a chance and paid a heavy price when Jon-Paul Pittman scored a second half hat-trick as everything that could go wrong, did go wrong after the break. Jon Challinor was sent off in conceding a penalty that Danny Potter saved, but still Crawley piled on the misery with three goals in the last five minutes and Gary Brabin has a massive task to restore confidence before Saturday's crucial home game against Woking."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Robbie Willmott - caused the visitors plenty of problems down the flanks and even managed to show up well at right-back. United's liveliest weapon on a disappointing evening."

Ref: Mr Naylor - tried to play advantage and can't be blamed for the result. 6/10."

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