CRAWLEY PROGESS IN SENIOR CUP
Sussex Senior Cup holders Crawley Town remain on course to retain their title with a 3-2 victory over Bognor Regis on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils' progress was not a smooth as it might have been though, considering that two Kim Grant goals and a long-distance strike by Tony Scully had put them 3-0 up after 25 minutes.

Crawley boss John Hollins showed plenty of respect to the Conference South visitors, choosing to rest keeper Phil Smith, midfielders Danny Brown and Simon Wormull and strikers Daryl Clare and Steve Burton, but still fielding a strong side.

The first goal arrived after 11 minutes as Chris Giles, operating at left-back, did well to intercept a goal-kick and sent Grant clear. The former Charlton striker confidently fired under keeper Craig Stoner.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0 as an innocuous ball into the box was first headed on by Sacha Opinel and then Grant, whose effort may have been helped into the top corner by defender Kevin Murphy.

Scott Ward, replacing Smith in the Crawley goal, handled well to pouch a neat turn and shot from Ben Watson but the game soon looked as good as over as Stoner made a hash of Scully's opportunistic 25-yard effort, giving the former Notts County wide man his first Crawley goal.

However, home fans wondering at that stage whether a repeat of the 7-0 win over Whitehawk two rounds earlier was possible soon got a wake-up call as Watson hit the angle of post and bar, although Crawley hit back as Grant teed up Giles for a powerful low driver which Stoner fingertipped past the post for a corner.

And Bognor made Hollins' team talk more edgy with a 42nd minute reply. Watson looked some way offside as he strolled onto a long ball unopposed but was allowed to continue and neatly lobbed the helpless Ward to make it 3-1.

Reds midfielder Paul Armstrong returned from injury in place of Opinel at half-time, the Frenchman having been booked earlier. And the Irishman was soon on the pace, playing a well-weighted ball through for Grant, whose cut-back was cleared.

Home anxieties moved up a notch after 57 minutes as the Crawley defence were caught out by another swirling long punt and when the centre came in from the right Watson was again in splendid isolation as he took two stabs at poking a shot past Ward.

The remaining half-hour was notable mainly for some more bizarre officiating but the Red Devils held on to book their place in the final four.

Result: Tuesday 10 January (Sussex Senior Cup Quarter Final)
Crawley Town 3
Bognor Regis Town 2
Att: 507
Crawley Town: Ward, Giles, Mendy, Simpemba, Jenkins, Opinel (Armstrong 45), Blackburn , Scully, Grant, Whitman (Proffitt 89).
Unused subs: Smith, El-Abd, Kember.

HOLLINS RELIEVED AFTER CUP WIN
Crawley boss John Hollins was relieved to progress to the last four of the Sussex Senior Cup after his side made hard work of their 3-2 win over Bognor Regis.

“We put out a side we thought could win the game, with all respect to Bognor, and early on we got at them, scored three well-taken goals and it was going well until just before half-time.

“You never like to concede a goal just before the break and two goals up is always a funny score. We had chances to take it beyond that, but we didn't take them and, full credit to them, they got back in the game before we weathered the storm and got through.”

Hollins was impressed with the Rocks' two-goal striker Ben Watson, and said he had not realised the former Brighton youth product had played for the Red Devils reserves last season and played for Crawley's first team in pre-season friendlies in the summer before moving on to Bognor.

“He's lively and quick and took his goals well. You can see why he has scored plenty this season,” said Hollins.

“We had players on the bench coming back from injury who we'd have liked to have given a longer run-out to than we did, but that wasn't possible.”

On Saturday, Crawley host Conference North Worcester City in the FA Trophy second round and Hollins is expecting another tough battle.

“We've had Worcester watched and they will be no pushovers as Andy Preece is their manager. We are the home team so the onus will be on us to make something happen and I'm sure they will want to make that as difficult for us as they can.”

HASTINGS GAME POSTPONED
The Sussex County League Alliance Reserve Division match against Hastings on Thursday 12th January has been postponed. With matches against Bognor Regis Town in the Sussex Senior Cup game tonight along with the Youth team game tomorrow John Hollins felt he would be unable to put a side out on Thursday too.