Forest Green remain unbeaten after win against 10-man Crawley

Posted Sunday, September 23, 2018 by PA

Forest Green picked up their first home league win of the season and continued their unbeaten start to the Sky Bet League Two season with a 1-0 victory over Crawley thanks to Reuben Reid’s deflected strike.

The game started brightly with both keepers forced into saves in the opening 10 minutes. Joseph Mills stung the palms of Crawley goalkeeper Glenn Morris, while Forest Green’s Robert Sanchez pulled off a double save to deny both Ollie Palmer and Ashley Nathaniel-George.

Rovers missed a great chance two minutes before half time when Gavin Gunning switched the ball to Reuben Reid on the right, who fed a first-time ball into Lloyd James but his sweeping shot sailed over the crossbar.

Forest Green cleared the ball off the line after Tahvon Campbell’s effort was spilled by Morris before the hosts finally got the ball in the back of the net.

Reid scored his fourth of the season after 70 minutes when he collected the ball on the edge of the box before firing past Morris via a deflection.

The home side almost made 2-0 shortly after when Mills’ powerful drive rattled the crossbar.

Centre-back Joe McNerney was sent off late on for a second bookable offence for the visitors as Gabriele Cioffi suffered his first defeat as Crawley manager.