In-form Crawley continue late play-off push with Newport win

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2022 by PA

Crawley kept alive their faint hopes of reaching the League Two play-off places as they made it four wins in their last five games with a 2-1 victory over Newport at Rodney Parade.

Two goals in the space of four first-half minutes from Ashley Nadesan and Ludwig Francillette gave Crawley complete control and although County reduced the deficit through James Waite’s 59th-minute effort, the visitors held on.

The opening goal of the game came in the 15th minute when from a deep cross from the right was headed on by Kwesi Appiah to allow Nadesan to pick up the pieces and tap home.

The second came after Waite had conceded a free-kick, and picked up a yellow card, for a senseless shoulder charge on Appiah. The wall did its job, but from the resultant corner Nadesan and Appiah combined again with real skill before the ball was squared to Francillette, whose low strike beat Joe Day.

County improved in the second half and Dom Telford cleverly picked out Waite with a ball across the box that allowed the midfielder to claw back a goal, but Newport could not find an equaliser.