Crawley Town 1 - 3 Notts County: Notts County battle back to beat Crawley

Posted Sunday, August 28, 2016 by PA

Notts County battled back from going a goal behind to condemn Crawley to their first league defeat of the season with a 3-1 victory.

Midfielder Enzio Boldewijn fired Crawley ahead just after the interval, but an own goal from James Collins, an Adam Campbell strike and a late Jon Stead penalty gave County their second successive away win.

Crawley striker Collins, booked early on for a foul, should have put his side ahead midway through the first half when he had a shot turned round the post by goalkeeper Adam Collin after getting the better of Richard Duffy.

The hosts had started well with former County forward Jason Banton forcing Collin into a save before Josh Yorwerth failed to connect with a dangerous cross by skipper Jimmy Smith.

Crawley threatened again when a good run by Billy Clifford took him into the box, but his low goal-bound shot was blocked by Louis Laing.

Crawley's Dutch midfielder Boldewijn broke the deadlock two minutes after the break by firing into the bottom corner from just inside the area following a throw in from Lewis Young.

County levelled in the 51st minute when Collins diverted the ball into his own net from Michael O'Connor's cross. Referee John Busby initially disallowed the goal only to change his mind after consulting with the assistant.

Campbell then fired the hosts ahead 10 minutes later, bending a right-footed shot into the far corner from the edge of the area.

Stead sealed victory four minutes from time, blasting a penalty high into the roof of the net after Andre Blackman handled, the striker's fourth goal in five games.