Crawley romp to first victory over Harrogate with comfortable away success

Posted Wednesday, February 09, 2022 by PA

Crawley romped to their first-ever win over Harrogate following a 3-1 away victory.

Goals from Aramide Oteh, Nicholas Tsaroulla and Tom Nichols earned the visitors three points even though a first senior goal from on-loan Huddersfield teenager Brahima Diarra had given the hosts brief hope after levelling just past the hour.

Crawley had earlier come closest to making the first-half breakthrough with Jordan Tunnicliffe heading against the crossbar and the Sussex side forged in front three minutes after the restart when Alex Pattison’s stray pass played fellow midfielder Josh Falkingham into trouble close to the halfway line.

Oteh then stole possession and charged for goal before firing into Mark Oxley’s bottom right corner from just inside the penalty box.

It was the first goal the Sulphurites had conceded at home in seven hours and 29 minutes and Simon Weaver’s men equalised when Jack Diamond released Diarra through the right channel and his 15-yard drive beat Crawley keeper Glenn Morris with the aid of a deflection off Tsaroulla.

But the former Cyprus Under-21 international made his presence felt at the other end after 79 minutes when he was on hand to tap in after excellent trickery by Nichols on the right byline.

Nichols then added the final flourish with an excellent curling 25-yard effort into Oxley’s top left corner with 84 minutes gone.