Crawley Town 2 Tranmere Rovers 0: Matt Tubbs and Gwion Edwards goals seal victory

Manager John Gregory made two changes to the team which beat MK Dons 2-0 on Saturday with Matt Tubbs returning after missing five games with a hamstring strain.

He came in for Gary Dicker while right back Mark Connolly replaced namesake Paul who injured his groin at Milton Keynes.

Tranmere had the first attack on goal when Matthew Pennington rose to head on target from short-range an effort which was saved by Reds keeper Paul Jones from behind the goalline.

Crawley replied at the other end when Tubbs crossed from the right to Mike Jones whose shot was blocked by Pennington.

The Reds had a period of pressure as this chance was followed up in quick succession by Josh Simpson crossing from the right to Tubbs who volleyed wide.

Rovers forced Paul Jones into action again on the half hour with a low shot from 25 yards by the aptly named Max Power which was grabbed at the second attempt by the Crawley custodian.

Reds then took the lead in spectacular style when Tubbs curled in a superb free-kick over the wall from 25 yards for his eighth goal of the season.

After the break Reds looked like they wanted to add a crucial second goal as Tubbs supplied Mike Jones with a through ball only for his shot to be blocked by Pennington.

Jake Cassidy had two chances for the vositors - one which flew over the bar from close range and the other was saved by Paul Jones from an impossibly tight angle.

Tubbs was taken off after an hour to a huge applause from the Broadfield crowd and was replaced by another player who is popular among the fans, Sergio Torres.

Tranmere kept pushing on for an equaliser as Power lifted a shot over the bar from the edge of the area.

Then Power’s free-kick was nodded over the bar from the far post.

Gregory replaced Andy Drury with Gwion Edwards and then Josh Simpson with Gary Dicker.

And just nine minutes after coming on for his first appearance Edwards scored the winning goal, a ball through the middle found him and he tucked the ball comfortably away past the advancing keeper.

Buoyed by the confidence of their second goal, Proctor nearly made it 3-0 with a shot which hit the right hand post.

Altogether it was a good three points for Crawley who were not substantially better than Tranmere but were more clinical in their finishing.

REDS: P Jones, Sadler, M Connolly, McFadzean, Drury, Simpson, Walsh, Proctor, Bulman, Tubbs, M Jones

Unused subs: Essam, Torres, Fallon, Monakana, Maddison, Edwards, Dicker

TRANMERE: Fon Williams, Taylor, Goodison, Cassidy, Kirby, Power, Jennings, Brown, Redehalgh, Akpa Akpro, Pennington

Unused subs: Holmes, Rowe, Stockton, Morris, Boland, Arthurworrey, Mooney

REFEREE: James Linington

ATTENDANCE: 3,443 (254 away)

MAN OF THE MATCH: Kyle McFadzean