Crawley Town FC 3-0 Leeds United
The FA Cup third round is all about shocks, and we had an almighty one at the People’s Pension Stadium today where Crawley Town beat Leeds United 3-0.
This type of fixture, FA Cup: Crawley Town vs Leeds United is what the competition is all about, the plucky League Two underdogs coming toe to toe with one of the biggest names in the English game. And after a goalless first half the Red Devils stunned Leeds with a double strike at the beginning of the second, before making the game safe with a third on 70 minutes.
Sitting in sixth place in League two, and just three points behind an automatic promotion spot, this was a fantastic diversion for Crawley, away from the pressures of their bread and butter football, and for goal scorers Nick Tsaroulla, Ashley Nadesan and Jordan Tunnicliffe it was a day they will never forget.
Highlights of the game
In a bright start to the match Leeds’ Ian Poveda was lively on the right-wing and he almost created the opening goal, cutting in and crossing just beyond the outstretched boot of Rodrigo.
Crawley were not here just to make up the numbers and have been on a good run of form, and forward Tom Nichols, who recently scored a brace against Forest Green, tried his luck from around 25 yards, but a kind deflection took the pace off the ball and made it easy for Kiko Casilla to collect. Crawley keeper Glenn Morris then made an excellent stop with his foot to deny Poveda at the near post. And it all got a little tasty when Jake Hessenthaler smashed the ball into Ezgjan Alioski’s chest while he was lying on the floor.
The two players squared up and earned a talking to from the ref.
Nadesan showed a turn of pace to seize on a Leeds mistake and force a corner with his shot. And when the cross came in, Nichols met it with a thumping header which Casilla stopped with a brilliant reaction save.
Anyone looking forward to the Crawley Town vs Leeds United highlights wouldn’t have expected a goalless first half but that’s where we were.
Crawley top scorer Max Watters started on the bench; and while we wondered whether manager John Yems would introduce him the other strikers set about dismantling the Leeds defence, with two goals in two minutes. First former Spurs youngster, Nick Tsaroulla picked up the ball in midfield and jinked his way past three Leeds defenders before firing past Casilla for a brilliant individual goal.
That was on 50 minutes and a couple later the hosts’ lead was doubled. And it was Nadesan again showing his pace, intercepting a poor Leeds pass and leaving the visitors’ defence in his wake as he fired through Casilla to make it 2-0. For Marcelo Bielsa’s side, defence is his primary concern in the Premier League, and it seems he has the same problem in the cup.
And all too soon it became worse.
Kalvin Phillips picked up a yellow card for a foul on Nadesan and when Sam Matthews swung the free-kick in, Casilla saved from Nadesan with his feet and Jordan Tunnicliffe was there to slam the ball home.
Yems rang the changes and brought Watters on; and he should have scored when he rounded the keeper, but he took too long over his shot and Leeds recovered.
Key statistics
Here at SBOTOP we predicted an entertaining game and boy, did we get it!
The Crawley Town vs Leeds United betting odds offered 6.95 on a Crawley victory but they came into the game on a good run of form, and they are now ten unbeaten in all competitions.
It’s the first clean sheet at home for the Red Devils in six matches, while Leeds have now participated in five away games on the run featuring a total of 23 goals.
What’s next?
Leeds fans will put this down to a very bad day at the office, their head coach Marcelo Bielsa deserves the odd one and now they return to Premier League football.
The Yorkshire side have two home games coming up, against Brighton next Saturday, and then Southampton are the visitors the following Wednesday. Those two teams will provide contrasting challenges; the Seagulls are in a relegation scrap while the Saints are flying high in sixth place.
Meanwhile Crawley continue their League Two promotion campaign with a trip to Leeds’ nearest neighbours, Bradford City, who started the season poorly, but are unbeaten in five, picking up 11 points to lift them up to 19th<.
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