Gabriele Cioffe feels Crawley can compete with anyone after ending winless run

Crawley head coach Gabriele Cioffe thinks the end of his side’s winless run is “more of a blessing than a relief” after the Reds clinched a 3-0 home success over Crewe.

The Reds had gone seven games without a win before a first-half penalty by Josh Payne and late goals from Joe McNerney and Dannie Bulman gave them a much needed boost.

Goalkeeper Glenn Morris played a vital role by producing a string of important saves as Crawley bounced back from their 6-2 FA Cup defeat against Southend, which had extended their winless run in all competitions to seven games.

Cioffe acknowledged the part Morris played in setting up the win and said: “Glenn is one of the best keepers in League Two.

“He is strong in mind and will – and our season can start today.

“It was more of a blessing than a relief to win and we will be taking it game by game. We can compete with anyone.”

Crawley got back on the winning trail without suspended top scorer Ollie Palmer while playmaker Filipe Morais was out injured.

Italian Cioffi felt the whole side stepped up and added: “Other players took their chance and we are happy.

“We showed today we are set to run, we don`t want to limp.”

Frustrated Crewe boss David Artell felt it was a game his side should have won easily.

The Alex have only won one of 10 away league games, scoring just three goals, and Artell admitted the killer touch was missing.

He said: “If it was a boxing match it would have been stopped after 40 minutes.

“If it had been 5-0 at half-time no one would have complained.

“Their keeper was man of the match and after 15 minutes you could have picked it.

“But I’m not worried. Not many teams will come to Crawley and play like that in creating so many chances.”

Artell had hoped his team would follow up their 3-2 home win over Tranmere with back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

He added: “It is so frustrating given the amount of chances we had in the first half. There was no killer touch.

“Their second goal from a set piece and a mistake killed the game.

“But you have just got to stick at it. We will keep supporting them and believing in them.”