Crawley Town 3, Sutton United 0: Reds go joint top thanks to Campbell, Maguire and Orsi goals

Scott Lindsey steered the Reds to a fourth successive league victory and his men’s fast start to the season was replicated in the match itself, as two early goals in each half took the tie away from struggling Sutton.

Reds’ bright opening quarter of an hour was enough to take a slender 1-0 half-time lead, despite the spirited visitors having two goals ruled out for offside.

Adam Campbell swept Crawley Town into the lead (6) with a right foot shot, central from the edge of the area, after incisive wing play from captain Ben Gladwin.

Sutton thought they had levelled the match (20) when Aiden O’Brien turned in from close-range past Town’s goalkeeper Corey Addai, following a knock-down from Omar Sowunmi, but the assistant referee flagged for offside.

The decision spurred on the south Londoners who took the ascendency, O’Brien again celebrated prematurely (28) as he was given offside when he tapped into an open net from a well-struck shot which rebounded off the post.

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Addai got down well to his left to deny Omari Patrick’s effort inside the left-hand side of the area and the Reds’ keeper was again equal to another strike from Patrick minutes later.Reds re-appeared a rejuvenated side after half-time and soon doubled their lead through Laurence Maguire’s tap-in (53) from a low cross across the box, with Sutton’s substitute goalkeeper Jack Rose having only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes.

Danilo Orsi put the Reds three goals to the good (67) when he slotted a simple finish past Rose after he was picked out by Ronan Darcy’s pinpoint low cross across the box from the right.

Darcy, a lively threat throughout, came close to adding a fourth in his final kick before being substitute, but his dipping shot from range just cleared Sutton’s bar.

Reds were in complete control in the latter stages and exhibited their slick passing around the weary visitors, with substitute Rafiq Khaleel slamming his shot off the woodwork (86).

Crawley are next in action when they travel Doncaster away on Tuesday before they host 9th-placed Wrexham at Broadfield Stadium on Saturday 7 October.