Crawley come back from 2-0 down to oust Kings Langley

Three goals in four minutes either side of half time saw Crawley Green fight back from 2-0 down to edge to a 3-2 victory over previously unbeaten Kings Langley in Molten Spartan SML Division One on Saturday.

In a scrappy opening neither side created a worthwhile scoring opportunity.

The lively Connor Toomey was a constant threat for Langley down the left forcing Crawley keeper Bart Pedrycz to punch his cross clear on 20 minutes before setting Jack Johnson up, but he could only shoot wide.

John Butler replied with two efforts for the Maroons, the second a header from a Craig Savage long throw.

Langley broke the deadlock on 38 minutes when Adam Hallissey cut in on a long clearance and drove the ball past Pedrycz.

Six minutes later Langley doubled their lead when Mark Smith was penalised for handball after, from a quickly-taken free-kick, Hallissey again made ground down the left and crossed for Jack Johnson to turn home.

But Crawley hit back in stoppage time when Jamie Warne’s corner was headed on by Adam Reid and Chris Gibson was on hand to fire home at the far post to make it 2-1 at the break.

Crawley made a storming start to the second half as Gibson headed Stuart Strange’s cross firmly past Ant Ladyman to level the scores at 2-2 after only two minutes.

And the hosts took the lead a minute later. The unmarked Gibson was denied a hat-trick by Ladyman, but the ball fell kindly for Peter O’Donnell to smash home the rebound.

After five goals in 11 minutes the game settled down, with Reid firing into the side netting on the hour after Savage and Butler had combined.

Langley were then reduced to 10 men when the unfortunate Ritchie Hanlon was take off with a bad knee injury.

The 10 men rallied well and chased the game in the closing minutes.

Hallissey went clean through but put his effort over the bar with 10 minutes to go, while in the sixth minute of injury time Butler had an effort saved by Ladyman.

This Wednesday the Maroons go to Southall, on Saturday visit Chesham United Res and on Wednesday entertain Colney Heath in the first round of the Challenge Trophy.