O’Dell bags hat-trick for Crawley Green

A Robbie O’Dell hat trick in just four second half minutes secured a 5-2 victory for Crawley Green against New Bradwell St Peter on Wednesday evening.

With three players stuck in an accident on the M1 a re-organised Crawley turned in a disjointed first half display.

After Dan Dyer went close for the visitors in the opening minutes, Chris Crook should have opened the scoring for Crawley but he headed wide from a Lui Sarrington corner.

Dyer spurned another chance after 10 minutes and Crawley replied with an effort from Chris Gibson which was deflected wide.

The hosts should have taken the lead on 22 minutes when Gibson’s shot was well blocked by Sam Jay in the Bradwell goal, but the keeper then conceded a penalty as he brought down Gibson.

The striker took the penalty only to shoot shot straight at Jay who saved easily.

Shortly after Gibson and Peter O’Donnell were both denied by Jay and on 35 minutes Matt Baldry headed wide from another Sarrington corner.

A minute later Crawley paid the price for their missed chances as Dean Bull had a clearance charged down by Rees Stone who then ran the rebound into the net.

Two minutes later Bradwell, who were without a league win all season, doubled their lead as Derrick MacDonald broke into the box and stabbed the ball into the bottom left hand corner.

After the break Crawley camped in Bradwell’s half and Sarrington reduced the arrears after 56 minutes when he broke through to fire the ball past Jay.

Ten minutes later Crawley were level as Crook broke down the left and set up Stuart Strange who scored.

After missing several chances Crawley secured the points when O’Dell got to work.

On 80 minutes, he latched on to a pass from Jamie Warne and fired the ball at Jay who flapped it over the line.

He then headed his second, before completing a quickfire treble by smashing the ball into the net.

To their credit Bradwell continued to battle and Mike Shaw had a fine effort tipped over by Bull.

On Saturday, Crawley travel to Cockfosters.