Crawley Green overcome high-flying Kings Langley in tempestuous clash

Crawley Green fought back from a goal down to beat Molten Spartan SML Division One high-fliers Kings Langley 2-1 in a fiercely-contested game which saw Langley finish with nine men on Saturday.

Langley were quickly out of the blocks and took the lead after only three minutes when Tom Carter made a good break down the left and his cross was turned in by Nick Jackson.

Matt Baldry was just unable to convert Adam Reid’s free-kick, before Baldry saw his header from John Butler’s free-kick saved by Anthony Ladyman.

Langley broke quickly and Alex Campana shot just wide of the far post before being denied by Dean Bull on 27 minutes.

Crawley fought their way into the game and levelled on 38 minutes when Henry Mungwira collected Sean Downey’s header and his cross from the left was turned into his own goal by Callum Adebeyi under pressure from Peter O’Donnell.

Dean Hitchcock then had a free-kick saved by Bull as the half finished all square.

Early in the second half Tom Carter fired over for Langley, while Crawley replied when Mark Smith set up O’Donnell, but his lobbed effort missed the target.

Crawley though won a penalty on 68 minutes when Mungwira collected a long ball from Baldry and was fouled in the box by Danny Hutchins.

Hutchins then got himself involved with the assistant referee and was dismissed for using foul and abusive language.

A full three minutes after awarding the penalty Stuart Strange stepped up to fire the ball past Ladyman to make it 2-1.

Shortly after the volatile Lee Burgoyne became the second Langley player to receive his marching order after receiving a second yellow for a foul on O’Donnell.

Crawley created a number of chances, but neither Mungwira or O’Donnell were able to kill off the game.

Langley nearly pinched a point in the fifth minute of added time, but Campana’s cross was headed over by Josh Sear.

On Thursday Crawley go to Cockfosters in the third round of the Challenge Trophy and on Saturday visit Kentish Town in the league.

Attendance: 30.