Crawley start life back in League One with victory over Blackpool

Posted Sunday, August 11, 2024 by PA

First-half goals from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Junior Quitirna ensured Crawley began life back in League One after nine years away with a 2-1 home victory over Blackpool.

Substitute Ashley Fletcher pulled a goal back for Blackpool late on, but they struggled for openings in the final third before a crowd of nearly 5,000.

Crawley went into the game with only two players remaining from the side that beat Crewe in the League Two play-off final at Wembley.

One of those, midfielder Jeremy Kelly, made his presence felt by playing Hepburn-Murphy through in the 16th minute and the former Swindon striker marked his debut by slipping the ball past goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw.

The Red Devils got away with a defensive mistake by Joy Mukena which let in CJ Hamilton, but Kyle Joseph was unable to convert his cross.

Former Fleetwood midfielder Quitirna doubled Crawley’s lead after 33 minutes, racing on to Ronan Darcy’s pass to fire an angled shot into the roof of the net.

Blackpool threatened before the break when Ollie Norburn’s powerful shot came back off a post moments after no visiting attacker could get on the end of Hayden Coulson’s excellent cross.

The visitors struggled to get back into the game after the restart as Hamilton was off target after a strong run.

Blackpool reduced the deficit after 74 minutes in unusual fashion when an attempted punt up field by keeper Jojo Wollacott struck the legs of substitute Fletcher and went low into the net.

Wollacott later kept Crawley ahead by diving to save a goal-bound shot from substitute Elliot Embleton.