Crawley Town secured their first home point of the League Two season on Saturday, fighting back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Chesterfield at Broadfield Stadium. The result lifts the club off the bottom of the table, moving them to 24th place with five points from eight games. This leaves them three points from safety in the standings as they look to build momentum.
Gianmarco Di Biase was the hero, netting twice in a five-minute second-half spell. His first came from the penalty spot in the 61st minute after Priestley Farquharson was fouled by Chesterfield goalkeeper Ryan Boot. Di Biase then levelled the scores just five minutes later, deflecting a Dylan Morgan shot past Boot. His brace brings his personal tally to three goals for the season, a bright spot in the team's stats.
Chesterfield had taken control with goals from Lee Bonis in the 23rd minute and Louie Marsh just before the hour mark. The visitors, who were unchanged for a third successive league game, looked comfortable until Crawley's fightback.
Manager Colin Kazim-Richards praised his team's spirit after a difficult period. "We showed a lot of personality," he said. "We showed character and came back from adversity." He acknowledged the frustration from some supporters when the team trailed, adding, "A lot of people become impulsive at football games."
The point follows a 4-0 victory over Bromley's reserve side in the Mike Jones Trophy earlier in the week, a match Kazim-Richards felt was important for building rhythm. "I don’t know, if we were not to have had that game, whether that would have came out today," he admitted. The team's recent form now reads one win, one draw, and three losses in their last five league outings.
Several players returned from injury, including goalkeeper Vito Mannone, while Stephen Duke-McKenna and Kai Jennings were also back in the matchday squad. Defender Akin Odimayo was stretchered off during the match, with Nathan Tinsdale replacing him, adding to the club's concerns on the injuries front.
Crawley now face a tough test away at league leaders Salford City on 17 October, a fixture that presents a significant challenge as they seek to climb the table. Fans can view all upcoming matches on the club's fixtures page.
The original report is at sussexexpress.co.uk
Manager Colin Kazim-Richards said his players are sometimes "scared to make the mistake" in their approach. He made the admission following Saturday's 2-2 draw with Chesterfield, which left Crawley 24th in League Two with five points from eight games. Kazim-Richards said the team needs to limit unforced errors but praised the character shown in the comeback. The Reds travel to face league leaders Salford City on Saturday, a side they trail by 14 points.
