Danilo Orsi nets hat-trick as Crawley thrash MK Dons to reach play-off final

Posted Sunday, May 12, 2024 by PA

Danilo Orsi scored a hat-trick as rampant Crawley reached the League Two play-off final following a 5-1 second-leg thrashing of MK Dons that completed an emphatic 8-1 aggregate victory.

Crawley will face Crewe next Sunday in what will be their first ever trip to Wembley Stadium, a remarkable turnaround for a club that narrowly avoided relegation from the Football League 12 months ago.

Their 3-0 lead from the first leg was never threatened as the Dons’ miserable record in the play-offs was extended – they have now failed to reach a final in six attempts after being outplayed by their opponents for the second time in four days.

It took Crawley just three minutes to snuff out any realistic hopes MK Dons had for an epic comeback with the killer goal being all of the hosts’ own making.

A sloppy pass near his own area by Jack Tucker was intercepted by Jay Williams, who bore down on goal before sliding the ball past Dons goalkeeper Filip Marschall.

Dons forward Max Dean was then perhaps fortunate not to be punished for leaving a foot in on Williams before Crawley goalkeeper Corey Addai produced a spectacular save to tip away a superb effort from Joe Tomlinson.

The home side’s task was made an impossible one after half an hour when Daniel Harvie failed to deal with a long ball, allowing Orsi to steal in before coolly finishing into the bottom corner.

MK Dons finally had something to show from the tie in first-half stoppage time when Tomlinson’s free-kick was helped back across goal by Tucker for Dean to tap in from close range.

However, Crawley’s two-goal lead on the night was restored three minutes into the second half when Klaidi Lolos’ pass put through Liam Kelly, who unselfishly squared the ball for Orsi to roll his second into an empty net.

The Red Devils’ night kept getting better as Addai denied Dean from the penalty spot in the 67th minute after Liam Kelly was penalised for handling Ellis Harrison’s cross.

Marschall was then a little fortunate in deflecting Jack Roles’ effort from outside the area against the post with the visitors still pressing for more goals.

They had their fourth of a wonderful evening with 10 minutes left when Roles beat Marschall at his near post after Orsi had battled for possession.

Orsi then completed his hat-trick in the second minute of stoppage time when he was in the right place to bundle in Ronan Darcy’s ball across goal.