Crawley Town manager Colin Kazim-Richards has highlighted the positive competition among his strikers despite a 3-2 away defeat to Accrington Stanley on Saturday. The loss leaves the Reds with work to do as they aim to improve on last season's 22nd-place finish in League Two, where they survived by a single point after conceding 68 goals.
Colin Kazim-Richards explained his selection choices to Sussex World after the match at Accrington. He started Danilo Orsi ahead of loanee Pemi Aderoju, a decision vindicated when Orsi scored a first-half equaliser.
Kazim-Richards praised Orsi's predatory instincts. "Orsi is a goalscorer. He's a threat around the box," the manager said. He also emphasised the impact players can make from the bench, which was demonstrated when Aderoju came on to score Crawley's second goal late in the game. The boss stated he is very happy with the competition between his three forwards.
Defender Akin Odimayo, who signed an 18-month contract in January, has outlined the collective target for the squad. Speaking to reporters, Odimayo said the team wants to bounce back from last season's struggles and leave a mark on League Two.
"We want to bounce back from last season, leave an imprint on this league this season," Odimayo stated. He added that personally, his aim is to play as well as possible to help the team gain points. The defender has been filling in at right-back due to Kellan Gordon's suspension.
Crawley Town confirmed this week that Jay Williams has completed a permanent transfer to Colchester United. The club announced the move on its official website, thanking Williams for his service across two spells.
Williams rejoined Crawley ahead of the 2025/26 season and often captained the side. He was also a regular starter in the play-off winning team of the 2023/24 campaign. His departure follows a season where the team finished 22nd with 40 points from 46 games.
The defeat at Accrington leaves Crawley Town seeking consistency early in the new season. The club's final position last year was 22nd, a full 47 points behind champions Bromley. Their goal difference of -24, from scoring 44 and conceding 68, was a key area for improvement.
Looking ahead, the team will be focused on turning around a recent form line that ended last season with two draws and three losses. Fans can track the team's progress in the live standings. The next fixture provides an immediate chance to respond to the weekend's result.
