Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: Sunny, bright
Goals:
Crawley: Cook 27'
Cambridge United suffered their second home defeat of the season as Crawley took the lead in the first half well against the run of play then shut up shop and resisted and frustrated the U's after the break.
Unchanged for the fourth successive game, Martin Ling included fit-again Anthony Tonkin among the substitutes in place of goalkeeper Laurie Walker, while Crawley manager Steve Evans made one change to the side that beat Wrexham 1-0 and called up midfielder Barry Cogan in place of virus-hit Thomas Pinault.
The early exchanges were unsurprising from either team, with United's neat build-up play looking to release front pair Chris Holroyd and Mark Beesley and Crawley looking for the early ball forward. Brimming with confidence from his hat-trick on Saturday, Holroyd chased a through ball in the third minute but goalkeeper Simon Rayner sprinted out to smother the danger, and three minutes later Andy Parkinson also advanced into space and the Crawley defence had to hack the ball clear.
With United's pace causing problems, Robbie Willmott led a lightning breakaway in the tenth minute and crossed towards Beesley but Sam Rents headed clear and Crawley's counterattack was cut out by Josh Coulson. Moments later Holroyd turned provider to set up Beesley for a good angled shot that Rayner turned brilliantly behind with his fingertips.
Crawley left-back Rusk had their first shot after cutting in from the left but launched the ball well wide, and on 16 United went closest yet after Beesley was fouled 20 yards out and Willmott bent the free kick round the wall but against the top of the crossbar.
More good work by Willmott set up Beesley, who turned well on the edge of the area and fired narrowly wide, then on 19, just after Dan Gleeson blocked a long-range drive from Cogan, a massed counterattack by United ended with a 25-yard shot wide by Jai Reason.
United were enjoying the vast majority of play and looked the side most likely to score, while Crawley's management duo of Steve Evans and Paul Raynor went through their familiar routine of loud protests in their technical area, but the game was turned on its head after 26 minutes.
After his successful overhead kick at Chester, Chris Holroyd went for the spectacular again at the near post but couldn't make the connection he wanted and seconds later the visitors were ahead. Latching on to the long ball out of defence, midfielder Jamie Cook looked to be at least a yard offside but the flag stayed down as he broke clear and coolly left Potter on his rear to score with a low shot.
The goal lifted Crawley and United's defence had to defend a series of balls into the area, but on 33 Willmott fired a free kick over from 30 yards and two minutes later Parkinson's cross was clutched by Rayner as United began to threaten again.
Carden and Gleeson both had crosses blocked before Holroyd found space 25 yards out for a shot that was blocked by Giles, but the half ended with Crawley's lead intact.
Half-time summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"United went behind from Crawley's first attack of any note, very much against the run of play. United had the best of things early on, Beesley with a shot tipped over on 10, Willmott with a free kick that kissed the top of the bar and Holroyd so close to repeating his spectacular goal at Chester, but it wasn't to be and from that chance Crawley's Cook broke away and stayed onside to beat Danny Potter and leave the U's a goal down."
Second half:
The match resumed with challenges thundering in from both teams before Willmott had the crowd on their feet with a good run down the right and a shot across the face of goal.
The atmosphere in the ground began to boil as Crawley wasted time at every opportunity but also defended securely against constant pressure. United went agonisingly close on 56 with a good build-up involving Willmott and Beesley to supply Holroyd, who returned the ball towards Beesley with a cross that was headed away.
Moments later a Crawley breakaway saw Killeen feed Ademeno who crashed a shot against the near post. It was so nearly another goal against the run of play but Crawley were troubled a minute later when Beesley struck from 12 yards and the previously unflappable Rayner juggled the ball against his own post before pushing it behind.
United were promising much but failing to break down a well-drilled Crawley side, and Martin Ling changed things around midway through the half by sending on Courtney Pitt for Parkinson and Danny Crow for Beesley.
Pitt was involved immediately with a 20-yard free kick from the right after Holroyd was brought down, drawing a save from Rayner, but the crowd's frustration grew as United's play broke down and they opted for long balls that were too easy for Crawley's central defenders Giles and Broadhurst.
A 73rd minute Crawley corner was half-cleared to Broadhurst who volleyed over the bar, and at the other end Crow and Willmott combined to test Rayner and Pitt followed up with a low shot that was kicked away.
More danger followed as a Killeen cross was cleared only as far as Ademeno who hit the woodwork again with a shot from the left of the area Killeen lifted the rebound over the bar, then on 76 Rents shot harmlessly over the bar and a minute later Smith's 25-yarder was blocked as Potter and Coulson threw themselves at the ball.
Ten minutes from time, Anthony Tonkin made his first appearance of the season after recovering from a groin injury, replacing 18-year-old Darryl Coakley who left the pitch to deserved applause.
Sam Rents collected the first yellow card for a rash challenge on Willmott, then Ademeno wasted another chance to score when he broke away one-on-one with the advancing Potter but failed to pick out Ben Smith in support and the ball ran harmlessly wide.
Evans made his first substitution on 83 to send on midfielder Danny Forrest for Ademeno, and United's frustration at the time-wasting boiled over when Reason went down under a challenge from Broadhurst and an angry confrontation followed. Hutchinson felt Reason had gone down too easily and was booked for his protests, and from the resulting free kick Willmott's shot was tipped behind for another corner that came to nothing.
More boos followed on 89 when Michael Malcolm replaced Killeen, who took an age to leave the pitch, and as play entered stoppage time Pitt cut in from the left but fired wide from 25 yards. A further bad-tempered clash between the clearly frustrated Reason and Hutchinson saw both players spoken to, then Jefferson Louis replaced Cook in Crawley's final substitution.
United had one final chance to equalise in stoppage time when Anthony Tonkin's cross was cleared behind, but although Dan Gleeson met Willmott's deep flagkick with a well-timed run he headed wide of the far post.
The full-time whistle was followed by the sight of Paul Carden and Crawley number two Paul Raynor in a confrontation that attracted players, staff and officials, while Steve Evans reacted to boos from home fans by triumphantly signalling the score.
Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Dan Gleeson, Josh Coulson, Wayne Hatswell, Darryl Coakley (Anthony Tonkin 80'); Robbie Willmott, Paul Carden (c), Jai Reason, Andy Parkinson (Courtney Pitt 66'); Chris Holroyd, Mark Beesley (Danny Crow 66').
Subs not used: Rory McAuley, Sam Ives.
Crawley Town:
Simon Rayner, Simon Rusk, Chris Giles, Karl Broadhurst (c), Sam Rents; Ben Smith, Eddie Hutchinson, Barry Cogan, Jamie Cook (Jefferson Louis 90'); Charles Ademeno (Danny Forrest 83'), Lewis Killeen (Michael Malcolm 89').
Subs not used: Nick Jordan, Daniel Powell.
Booked: Rents 82' foul, Hutchinson 87' dissent
Referee: Mr David Coote
Attendance: 2,733 (away 59)
Post-match summary by commentator Mark Johnson:
"The U's are still searching for their first home points and first home goal of the season after stumbling to defeat against Crawley. There was more than a hint of offside about Jamie Cook's 27th minute strike that settled the game, a well-taken finish against the run of play that transformed the match. Before the goal United had dominated but once behind the ideas petered out against a well-oiled defence. There were ugly scenes at the end as frustrations boiled over against the pantomime villains on the visitors' bench, and the U's fans will be hoping that their side's best isn't behind them."
Mark's Man of the Match:
"Josh Coulson - maturity beyond his years at the heart of the defence in a difficult match."
Ref: Mr Coote - surprisingly patient with some of the visitors' antics, he was not helped by an assistant who didn't assist. 6/10."
AT090818 web@cambridge-united.co.uk
