Crawley Town 1 Gillingham 2
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Gills on the attack at Crawley with Jo
Kuffour
Picture: Barry Goodwin
by Luke Cawdell
Jo Kuffour smashed in two second-half goals as
Gillingham enjoyed a Boxing Day win over League
2 leaders Crawley on their own turf.
Matt Tubbs’ first-half penalty put 10-men
Crawley in front at a packed Broadfield Stadium, but the
game was turned on its head by Kuffour’s quick-fire double at the
start of the second half.
Crawley played for more than 70
minutes a man short after Claude Davis was sent off0 for
chopping down Kuffour as he looked to race clear on the home
goal.
The Gills ended the game a man down themselves
after Luke Rooney, who was making his return to the side, was sent
off for two cautions. It was his second dismissal of the
season.
Kuffour, who took his goals tally for the
Gills to seven, was back in the side after sitting out last week’s
4-1 win over parent club Bristol Rovers.
In all, Gills manager Andy Hessenthaler made
four changes to his starting XI. Joining Kuffour were
midfielder Chris Whelpdale and defenders Matt Fish and Matt
Lawrence.
There was also a surprise on the bench as
Rooney, banished from the first-team after refusing
to sign a contract extension, returned to the squad for the
first time since the FA Cup game at Bournemouth on November 12. He
joined the action just before half-time to replace Fish.
However, despite the Gills having the man
advantage, they found themselves second best to a Crawley team who
started the afternoon four points clear at the top of the
standings.
In the opening 45 minutes
the visitors failed to register a shot on
target, although they twice went close when a free-kick
from Danny Jackman sailed just wide and a prodded effort from Danny
Kedwell bounced the wrong side of the post.
The hosts took the lead after 34 minutes
when Tubbs converted after Lawrence was adjudged to have fouled
Kyle McFadzean in the area, but Gills
needed just seven minutes early in the second half to
turn things around.
Kuffour tucked in Whelpdale's cross on 50
minutes to make it 1-1, and, moments later, the same
player ran at the defence, after latching on to Rooney’s ball
forward, before slotting past Scott Shearer.
The home side looked to get back on level
terms and had their chances. Ross Flitney had to claim Tyrone
Barnett’s long shot at the second attempt with 15 minutes left,
Josh Simpson saw an effort deflected wide and Pablo Mills
sent his shot into the arms of the Gills keeper.
Crawley went close again with two
minutes remaining as Lawrence hacked Tubbs’ header
off the line, and the drama continued in stoppage time when Rooney
received a second booking and was sent off.
The Gills had to hang on for five minutes of
injury time as Crawley desperately went in search of an equaliser.
Hessenthaler’s men held on, though, to the delight of the
1,301 travelling fans.
Crawley: Shearer, Howell,
Mills, Davis, McFadzean, Torres (Neilson 83mins), Hunt, Bulman,
Doughty (Simpson 59mins), Barnett, Tubbs. Subs: Kuipers, Akpan,
Akinde.
Gillingham: Flitney, Fish
(Rooney 42mins), Martin, Lawrence, Richards, J Payne, Jackman,
Weston (Oli 70mins), Whelpdale (King 89mins), Kuffour, Kedwell.
Subs: Gazzaniga, S Payne.
Attendance: 4,255.
Monday, December 26 2011
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