Chris MacKenzies erratic form continued today once we had got back to Aggborough. On his debut for us two weeks ago, when we played host to Torquay Utd, he gifted them the majority of their five goals through blunders. Out on the road at Salisbury and Northwich he looked much better and won the Man of the Match in both games but today, back at home, he gifts Crawley a goal when we looked to be pressing for a second goal of our own.
This time he had placed the ball on the ground for a goalkick but failed to see Guy Madjo behind him. Madjo didn't need any prompting and hooked the ball way from him to then turn and slip it into the net. A goal reminiscent of the one that Dion Dublin poached when Coventry played Newcastle a few seasons back.
The rest of the game was literally forgettable. A real dreary effort by both sides even though the referee tried to spice things up with some petty bookings and an obvious thank you to Crawley for letting him use Gatwick airport when he went to Benidorm a few weeks ago.
Gavin Hurren was back for us after his recent three game absence and almost immediately picked up a yellow card to start his collection again when he was booked for a tough tackle on a Crawley player. Andy Ferrell dropped to the bench to make way for him.
As said before the game was not much to write home about and apart from a few speculative efforts from both sides nothing really happened until almost on the whistle at forty five minutes.
Michael Blackwood sent over a long cross from the touchline and with it seemingly going over James Constables head it suddenly dips and falls perfectly for him to loop a strong header over the static Ashley Bayes in the visitors goal for his tenth goal of the season.
Seconds later we should have been two goals to the good when Justin Richards sent in a powerful volley that cannons off the underside of the crossbar, down onto the line and is then cleared to safety by the Crawley defence.