Crawley through as Grego-Cox double dumps out Scunthorpe

Posted Sunday, November 10, 2019 by PA

Reece Grego-Cox scored twice as Crawley ended a run of five successive FA Cup first-round exits with a 4-1 home win over League Two rivals Scunthorpe.

Grego-Cox’s double and Ashley Nathaniel-George’s goal in the final eight minutes settled matters after Ashley Nadesan’s opener was cancelled out by Ryan Colclough.

Nadesan fired over early on while Junior Brown and Yann Songo’o threatened for Scunthorpe.

But Crawley broke the deadlock 10 minutes before the break when Nadesan struck from close range after keeper Jake Eastwood could only parry a shot from the edge of the area by Nathan Ferguson.

Former Crawley striker Jamie Proctor headed off target and Crawley keeper Glenn Morris denied Colclough, before Ryan Tunnicliffe had an attempt saved by Eastwood.

Scunthorpe equalised on 78 minutes when slack defending allowed skipper Andy Butler to cross for Colclough to score his first goal of the season from close range.

But Grego-Cox struck a beauty into the top corner from 25 yards four minutes later and two further goals in stoppage time left Crawley as comfortable winners. Panutche Camara set up Nathaniel-George and Grego-Cox bagged his second.