Crawley overturn half-time deficit to beat Harrogate

Posted Sunday, March 10, 2024 by PA

Klaidi Lolos scored a second-half winners Crawley came from behind to beat off-form Harrogate 2-1 and give their play-off hopes a boost.

The Sulphurites, whose own top-seven ambitions are now fading, went ahead through George Thomson’s 13th goal of the season.

But Harry Forster levelled after the break and Lolos’ winner saw Simon Weaver’s Harrogate lose a home match after opening the scoring for the first time since April 2022.

Thomson opened the scoring in the 26th minute when he took a Jack Muldoon lay-off in his stride before emphatically finding Corey Addai’s bottom-right corner with his unfavoured left foot from the edge of the box.

Addai then made smart saves to deny Matty Daly and Dean Cornelius in quick succession before a flying James Belshaw ensured Harrogate remained ahead on the stroke of half time when he got his fingertips to a rasping Forster strike.

The equaliser did arrive just before the hour mark, however, in scruffy fashion when Danilo Orsi and Lolos helped the ball across the six-yard box for Forster to stab in at the far post.

Greek striker Lolos then turned the game on its head in the 66th minute, taking one touch to deftly lift the ball on to his left foot before unleashing a 15-yard thunderbolt that whistled past Belshaw.

Substitute Adam Campbell also curled a 20-yard effort against the bar for the visitors as Harrogate suffered a sixth game without a win.