Crawley Town 5 - 1 Barnsley - McLeod sinks managerless Reds

Posted Sunday, February 15, 2015 by PA

Izale McLeod fired a hat-trick as relegation-threatened Crawley bounced back from last week's 5-0 mauling at home to Doncaster to thrash managerless Barnsley 5-1.

Barnsley, with Mark Burton and Paul Heckingbottom in temporary charge following the midweek sacking of Danny Wilson, started positively and skipper Martin Cranie had a goal-bound header tipped over by goalkeeper Lewis Price early on.

Price dived to hold a 25-yard drive from the recalled Mason Holgate, before the teenager was denied by the woodwork when Price tipped his header on to the bar following a corner by Conor Hourihane.

Crawley threatened for the first time when top scorer McLeod sent an overhead kick wide and Mathias Pogba later had a low goal-bound shot saved by Barnsley goalkeeper Ross Turnbull.

The hosts broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time through McLeod, who neatly lobbed Turnbull for his 13th goal of the season after Pogba had helped on a long ball from Gwion Edwards.

Sonny Bradley doubled the home side's advantage three minutes after the break with his first of the season from close range after Turnbull had failed to hold Lee Fowler's free-kick.

Crawley midfielder Marvin Elliott made it 3-0 with a towering header following another Fowler free kick in the 59th minute.

Substitute Kane Hemmings replied for Barnsley with a close-range header in the 65th minute before McLeod bagged his second goal after a defensive mistake in the 73rd minute.

McLeod completed his hat-trick and sealed his side's thumping win seven minutes from time after a surging run by Lewis Young.