Crawley Green come from a goal down to earn FA Cup replay

Crawley Green came from a goal down to draw a physical FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie 1-1 with Codicote as both teams finished the game with 10 men on Saturday.

In a game badly affected by the wind, it was Codicote who took the lead after three minutes when the Grant McCrae headed home Liam Errington’s corner at the near post.

Crawley responded when Craig Savage and Stuart Strange combined to set up Richard Pringle, but his header went wide of the target.

The visitors levelled on 18 minutes when Pringle’s header from Glen Freeman corner rebounded off the bar and Sean Downey was on hand to volley the rebound past Billy Barnes.

With the wind at their backs Codicote went close with an effort from Paul Garrett on the half-hour, while Chris Gibson set up Freeman, but his shot was turned round the post the post by Barnes.

Adam Furness and Henry Mungwira traded efforts at the start of the second half, while Dean Bull saved another Furness effort on 55 minutes with Mark Smith replying for the Maroons.

Another Furness effort cannoned back off the bar on 75 minutes, before he received a straight red card four minutes later when he elbowed Chris Harvey in the face.

Crawley pushed forward in a bit to take advantage of the extra man, but in the dying minutes they too were reduced to 10 men.

Gibson was bundled over by Liam Errington, who was booked, but as he got to his feet the Crawley man was also booked for dissent.

Stuart Strange knocked in the free-kick and, after Gibson had smashed the rebound in the side netting he was shown a second successive yellow for returning to the field of play without the referee’s permission and was duly dismissed.

The FA Cup replay is due to take place on Wednesday evening and on Saturday Crawley host Sun Postal Sports in Molten Spartan SML Division One.