Crawley Town 2, MK Dons 1: Reds go third as Tsaroulla and Orsi goals secure three points
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Lindsey played the same starting XI in the first two League games and there is no change for the Dons. MK Dons are also unchanged for the third successive game as Graham Alexander also names the same substitutes bench from Saturday's win against Tranmere.
And Crawley dominated from the start and should have been awarded a penalty on 14 minutes when Dion Conroy was clearly pulled down in the box but referee Daniel Middleton said no.
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Hide AdBut just two minutes later Reds took a deserved lead and what a goal it was. Dom Telford won the ball on the half way line, found Danilo Orsi, he in turn found Liam Kelly, who fed through Nick Tsaroulla. He tarveleld into the box before firing home with an unstoppable shot.
After looking like the better team, a mistake in midfield on 27 minutes allowed Mo Eisa to break and shoot and the ball slid under Addai’s body and trickled into the net to make it 1-1.
That knocked the stuffing out of Crawley and MK Dons put pressure on them before the break but the sides went in 1-1 at the break.
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Just after half-time, Reds had a blow when Kellan Gordon limped off to be replaced by Adam Campbell. And the sub was soon involved in a exception goal by the Reds. Telford and Campbell combined with quickfire passes that eventually find Danilo Orsi and the striker stroked home past the goalkeeper to regain the lead.
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Hide AdAnd it was nearly 3-1 just minutes later when Jay Wlliam’s header crashed against the bar from a brilliant Will Wright cross.
Campbell then worried Craig MacGillivary with a stinging strike from 25 yards as Crawley looked to see the game out. With time running out, Orsi had a chance to finish the game off after great work by substitutes Rafiq Khaleel and Klaidi Lolos but the striker’s shot was saved.
It was a well deserved win for the Reds, which saw them rise up to third. On Saturday they face table toppers Gillingham, who beat Sutton 1-0 thanks to an Ashley Nadesan goal.
The Reds XI: Addai, Wright, Conroy, Ransom, Gordon (Campbell 47), Tsaroulla, Williams, Kelly, Darcy (Khaleel 84), Telford (Lolos 64), Orsi. Subs: Ashby-Hammond, Mukena, Lolos, Khaleel, Swyer, Henry, Campbell.
Dons: MacGillivray, Smith, O’Hora, Tucker (Hunter 60), Harvie, Norman, Williams (Holland 86), Gilbey, Robson (Devoy 69), Eisa, Leko. Subs: Harness, Holland, Dean, Ilunga, Hunter, Scholtz, Devoy