Crawley Town manager Colin Kazim-Richards has pointed to lingering mentality issues after his side fell to a 3-2 defeat away at Accrington Stanley. The loss leaves the Reds in 21st place in the League Two table after five games, having lost three of them and still searching for a first home point.
Charlie Caton gave Accrington a very early lead, scoring in just the fourth minute. Crawley responded through Danilo Orsi's 20th-minute strike to make it 2-1 at the break. Caton netted his second ten minutes after half-time, and Devon Matthews extended the hosts' advantage in the 63rd minute. A late goal from Pemi Aderoju provided only a consolation for the visitors.
Colin Kazim-Richards was clear in his assessment after the final whistle. He suggested that problems from the previous campaign are still affecting the squad's mindset. "A few things from last season are still lingering," Kazim-Richards said. "Being switched on, you can change that, but it's hard work. You have to be willing to put in the hard work."
The manager elaborated on the specific behaviours he wants to see change. He explained that in training, players must demand higher standards from themselves and each other. "In training you have to push the levels that you want." he stated. Kazim-Richards highlighted a lack of game management, noting his team too often gives the ball straight back to opponents from free-kicks instead of making life difficult for the referee.
The defeat solidifies a difficult start to the new season for Crawley. They currently sit 21st with three losses from their opening five matches. This follows a 2025 campaign where they finished 22nd, accumulating 40 points from 8 wins, 16 draws, and 22 losses. Their recent form at the end of last season was poor, recorded as DDDLL. Over that 46-game season, they scored 44 goals but conceded 68, leaving them with a -24 goal difference and a massive 47 points behind champions Bromley. The full standings from last season show the scale of the challenge.
Kazim-Richards identified defending from dead-ball situations as the top priority for improvement on the training ground. He said the team's response to set-pieces is at the top of their list of things to work on. The manager also pointed to a general lack of alertness, where players turn off for a moment and suddenly the ball is flashing across their own penalty area. Addressing these fundamental defensive issues will be critical as they prepare for their next fixture. You can review the individual performances that contributed to this result on the club's stats page.
The immediate focus turns to trying to secure that elusive first home point of the season. Crawley Town are next in action at Broadfield Stadium on Saturday, September 12, with a 12:30pm kick-off against Cheltenham Town. It presents a direct opportunity to change the narrative and build some positive momentum in front of their own supporters. The full schedule of upcoming matches is available on the fixtures page.
