Crawley’s first ever Sky Wager EFL play-off match went like a dream as they stormed to a 3-0 win over MK Dons of their rescheduled League Two play-off semi-final first leg.
The sport had initially been set for Financial institution Vacation Monday, however torrential rain in West Sussex had resulted in a waterlogged pitch and pushed kick-off again by nearly 28 hours.
When it did lastly get underneath manner on Tuesday evening, the hosts edged in entrance by way of Liam Kelly, simply 105 seconds after Max Dean had seen a shot cleared off the road on the different finish.
Scott Lindsey’s aspect handed up a handful of possibilities to increase their lead earlier than the break, however did so in first-half stoppage time, as Jay Williams poked a free-kick from the left into the underside nook.
It was job completed with simply over an hour gone, too, when Ronan Darcy got here off the bench so as to add a 3rd with a deflected strike.
Crawley take their commanding lead into Saturday’s second leg at Stadium MK, which kicks off at 7.45pm, stay on Sky Sports activities Soccer.
How debutants Crawley took one step in direction of Wembley
The aforementioned delay threatened to disrupt preparation for each groups – however as a substitute, it appeared to do the alternative. Sooner or later’s further relaxation supplied an injection of power and made for a breathless begin.
MK Dons have been denied the opener when Dean’s shot was hooked off the road by Will Wright after Crawley’s backline allowed an extended ball ahead to bounce and, lower than two minutes later, Kelly had fired Crawley forward with a shot contained in the close to publish after a sensible one-two with Adam Campbell.
Crawley managed the sport after that and would have been in entrance had it not been for Michael Kelly, who tipped Danilo Orsi’s dipping shot over, earlier than standing in the way in which of Laurence Maguire’s header – not that he appeared to know a lot concerning the latter.
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Jay Williams doubled Crawley’s lead in first-half stoppage time
However they did add a deserved second in first-half stoppage time when Wright’s free-kick from the left was helped in by Gamers’ Participant of the Season Williams.
MK Dons began to supply extra of a risk at the beginning of the second half, however they simply struggled for any form of fluency within the last third – and so the sport was put past them when Darcy’s shot took a depraved deflection and looped over goalkeeper Kelly.
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Ronan Darcy completed off a slick passing transfer to place Crawley three up
Klaidi Lolos thought he had added a fourth within the final 10 minutes after a free-kick had been pumped into the field, however the assistant referee’s flag was shortly raised and Crawley have been compelled to accept three.
What’s subsequent?
Reside EFL
Thursday ninth Could 7:30pm
Crawley and MK Dons will face off towards each other within the second leg at Stadium MK at 7.45pm on Saturday Could 11, stay on Sky Sports activities Soccer.
The winners will advance to the Sky Wager League Two play-off last, which will probably be performed at Wembley on Sunday Could 19.
