Colin Calderwood says victory over Crawley flattered Cambridge

Posted Sunday, November 03, 2019 by PA

Colin Calderwood admitted Cambridge were undeserving winners after Paul Lewis’ freakish goal secured a 2-1 victory over Crawley.

The U’s went behind 10 minutes from time but responded to win 2-1, with goalkeeper Glenn Morris’ clearance rebounding off Lewis and rolling in from an improbable angle four minutes from the end.

Bez Lubala put Crawley in front before Sam Smith equalised ahead of the Lewis goal.

“It’s a tackle, isn’t it,” said Calderwood, describing the winner.

“He’s probably chased his own pass and it’s typified a toughness that I think is sadly lacking in modern-day football.

“He challenged for a ball that probably wasn’t his and then out of that he had the gumption to get up and challenge for the next one, put his body in front of the ball which ricocheted fortunately for us.

“It was certainly not deserved overall. We were second best in the second half. Crawley played well and had a danger about them. We never did anything particularly well or gave ourselves any ascendancy or fluency at all.

“It just shows you that it doesn’t matter what experience or coaching badges you get, you obviously don’t know everything about football when things like this happen.

“You just never know what’s going to happen. Keep in the game as best you can and if it’s 0-0, fine. If it’s 1-0, not ideal but keep going and in the last few games in moments it’s certainly gone our way.

“Today 2-1 looks like a normal home win when you look at the result, but it doesn’t really tell the story of the game.”

Crawley boss Gabriele Cioffi rued the way his side fell to defeat after their strong performance before the goals. His team have now won only once in 12 games.

“We deserved three points, not even one point,” he said. “We come out with a funny defeat. Sometimes football is ruthless.

“The boys that came in did very well. They have done their best. On 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We score after 80 minutes and then in six minutes we concede two goals.

“For me the game was over. It’s not about how good you are or which tactics do you play, what motivation you give. The last six minutes of the game are not about anything if not desire.

“If a manager from whichever part of the world came and looked at this game, playing well and doing what he asked for 85 minutes, I think in the last five or six minutes you don’t need to manage with substitutes or tactical choices when you’re in control of the game.

“I’m sad. Not frustrated or emotional, sad.”