Late penalty miss condemns Green to defeat

Crawley Green spurned the chance of a point as they missed an injury time penalty against Cockfosters on Saturday.

A foul on JJ Billy after 90 minutes saw Green awarded the spot kick, but Ashton Grant struck his effort tamely at Austin Byfield.

To add insult to injury, Cockfosters broke quickly and a mistake by Rob Newman set up Bobby Sears who made it 2-0.

It was a harsh ending for Crawley who matched Cockfosters throughout but once again paid the price for missed chances.

Cockfosters started brightly and Jay Rolfe had an early effort fly over, while Bobby Sears’ effort was blocked and Cameron Ferguson fired straight at Dean Bull.

Green were forced into an early change as Sodiq Thompson replaced the injured Ed Skinner, and was quickly in the action, with his attempt blocked, while Charlie Clayton’s rebound was saved by Byfield.

Ioannis Varoukakis was denied by Bull and Crawley responded with a Clayton cross which was headed wide by Billy.

After 42 minutes the hosts took the lead, when Varoukakis who cut in from the left to fire the ball past Bull.

Just before the break, Sears broke clear but his effort was well saved by Bull.

In the second period, Crawley had an early chance when Clayton broke clear only to fire wastefully over, while on 53 minutes, Reece Green’s cross was nodded over by Billy.

Cockfosters replied with a shot from Sears that Bull collected, although Green remained in the ascendancy, Clayton off target.

Bull kept his side in the game with a good stop from Jay Rolfe, with Varoukakis firing wide, while Crawley were inches away as Thompson’s attempt cannoned off the post.

Then came the visitors penalty miss and Sears’ even later goal to make it 2-0 to move Cockfosters up to second.

Green head to Edgware Town on Saturday.