County v Crawley: Match Thread (14/02/2023)

I'm not saying I'm relying on a win here to make mine a Happy Valentine's Day but... yeah... please win, guys. *kisses*

Much better now, thanks... just some coughing and tiredness but not 'positive' so we'll be back to work tomorrow to light up the lives of some 2-year-olds!

So who are Crawley Town then? Well, their record so far is P 26 W 6 D 7 L 13 F 29 A 42, which leaves them in 21st looking over their shoulder at Gillingham and Rochdale in the drop zone and Hartlepool just above it. Their A record is even weaker - P 13 W 0 D 6 L 7 F 11 A 23 which is the weakest A record in the division.

The Ds were 0-0 at Harrogate, 1-1 at Rochdale, 2-2 at Salford City, 2-2 at Cole U, 1-1 at Bratfut and 2-2 at Newport. The Ls were 1-0 at Carlisle, 1-0 at Crewe, 4-1 at Donny, 3-0 at Grimsby, 2-1 at Walsall, 3-1 at Stevenage and 1-0 at Gillingham. All of which inspires little confidence in their ability to win, but may also inspire false confidence or complacency on the part of County. Crawley, of course, beat a Paddy-less County 3-2 back in September.

Their main goal scorers are 6ft 2 Forward Ashley Nadesan on 6, 5ft 7 MF from Bur*ley Dom Telford, also on 6 and 5ft 8.5 Striker James Tilley on 5. Altogether those 3 have scored 17 of 31 league goals. A further 4 players have a pair of goals and 5 more have just the 1 goal. All rather anaemic, so I can see them maybe getting 1 goal, possibly even 2 but it's hard to see them getting more than that at EP.

They were active in the transfer window bringing in experienced MF Ben Gladwin from Swindon and signing four on deadline day - Huddersfield GK Ryan Schofield and Brighton MF Jack Spong on loan and paying undisclosed fees for Mansfield FB Kellan Gordon and ex Woking MF Jack Roles on permanent deals. 19 year old GK Roshan Greensall has also re-joined Crawley.

Meanwhile Club Captain MF George Francombe and Defender Owen Gallacher left by mutual consent, as also have MF Ronan Silver and D Emmanuel Adebowale. Moreover MF Jake Hessenthaler has also departed for a season long loan at Woking and veteran D Tony Craig has joined Dorking on loan also for the balance of the season..

So it's all change, especially in MF and at the back and if only because of that and their being winless I, as so often, see this as a potential banana skin. So fingers crossed we get a couple of early goals....

It is being streamed, Ceef, I've purchased it myself.

Bit of off the ball shithousery going on from these, the officials need to open their eyes.

This referee hasn't got a f***ing clue.

Every time the ball drops loose it's going to a white shirt, we just can't keep possession.