Crawley Town 0 Rochdale 4: Reds slump to disastrous defeat

Crawley Town lose at home to Rochdale (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-140609-170122002

Reds manager John Gregory made three changes to his line-up which beat Cambridge Utd 2-0 in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday.

Goalkeeper Brian Jensen, midfielder Conor Henderson and striker Izale McLeod all started in place of Jamie Ashdown, Mitch Rose and Gavin Tomlin who were all on the bench.

Joe Walsh and Gwion Edwards were both missing on international duty for Wales U21s while Josh Simpson and Bobson Bawling are both injured.

Rochdale made just one change from their 3-0 win against Crewe with striker Ian Henderson replacing Crawley-born Shamir Fenelon who is on loan from Brighton and was on the bench.

The visitors took the initiative in the first few minutes with Ryan Dickson surviving a penalty shout against the advancing Matt Done while at the other end Lewis Young shot wide.

Rochdale took the lead with a great goal scored by Done in the 10th minute which he curled inside the post from the opposite corner of the area.

The Reds soon went close when Matt Harrold’s header was tipped over the bar by keeper Conrad Logan.

The game slowed down with little happening at either end ecept for a cross by Young missing all his tem-mates and substitute Mitch Rose replacing O’Connor just before half-time. Rose played just in front of the back-four in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

A good breakaway and shot by Rochdale’s Ian Henderson from the left forced a good save from Jensen to keep Crawley in the game.

Rochdale went 2-0 up nine minutes after the restart with a first time shot from Peter Vincenti from Scott Tanser’s cross.

Rochdale nearly made sure of the points moments later when a shot by Done was pushed wide by Jensen.

Vincenti then netted his second goal of the game and Rochdale’s third with a 65th minute header from a cross from the right.

Rochdale added a fourth goal with 15 minutes to go through a header by substitute Calvin Andrew which beat Jensen who got a hand to it.

REDS: Jensen, Oyebanjo, Dickson, C.Henderson. Leacock, Bradley, Smith, McLeod, Young (Banya 62), Harrold (Tomlin 56), O’Connor (Rose 40).

UNUSED SUBS: Ashdown, Richfond, Isaacs.

ROCHDALE: Logan, Rafferty, Eastham, Vincenti (Bennett 74), Dawson, Hery (Andrew 55), Done (Fenelon 83) , Tanser, Allen, O’Connell, I.Henderson.

UNUSED SUBS: Lancashire, Nusangu, Kennedy, Bunney

REFEREE: Graham Scott

ATTENDANCE: 2,539 (259 away)