Crawley Down suffer eighth successive defeat

By Mike May

Another torrid day at the office as the Anvils stretched their continuing run of consecutive defeats to eight after this latest debacle.

They started the game with five regular players out injured and Matt Gates having to retire after just five minutes.

The visitors were beginning to get a foothold and another chance came and went with Mike Williamson driving across the face, and a long ball out of defence that found Finney whose shot was pushed away by Seb Bos,

Lancing took the lead when Finney got behind the Anvil defence to cut inside and drive past the exposed Bos.

Lancing were soon into their stride in the second half with Finney again going close, but further disasters for the Anvils were never far away and on 51 minutes a corner from Jake Mills led to George Fenton setting up Williamson to score.

Another goal arrived just minutes later when Finney’s cross was met by Mills who smashed the ball home.

On 60 minutes the Anvils finally started to look threatening with Mike Barnard a latterday Archie Gemmell catching the eye with his industry throughout in trying to get the Anvils on the move, with Tom Bingham breaking through but firing well over.

Blair Cooney was replaced by the promising George Wallis who showed plenty of invention with the ball, on 70 Wallis then found Bingham whose shot was turned away by Ford.

After missing earlier chances, Bingham pulled a goal back on 90 minutes when his rather tame shot somehow slipped through keeper Darren Ford’s hands for a consolation reply.

But the visitors had the last laugh when well into added on time, another breakaway caught the Anvils cold allowing Owen Callaghan to perform the last rites.

Crawley Down: Bos, Gates (Barton) Wright, Goodwin, Johnson, Cooney (Wallis), Bingham, Cane, Major, Grant, Rigler, Barnard (Zammit).

Unused subs: Ford, Jackson

Man of the Match: Mark Barnard