GILES BROADENS CRAWLEY SMILES
Chris Giles's second-half goal gave Crawley a priceless third home Conference victory in 14 days against Cambridge United on Saturday.

The U's left Broadfield Stadium with exactly the same result as Scarborough and Forest Green before them – no goals and no points – as the mean Crawley defence continued their impressive spell that has seen them concede just four goals in their last eight league games.

The Red Devils also continued their excellent home record against teams newly-relegated from the Football League. Last season York and Carlisle were both beaten 1-0 on their first trips to Broadfield Stadium, while Kidderminster and now Cambridge have failed to trouble the scorers on their first Conference visits to Sussex .

Boss John Hollins was able to name an unchanged starting line-up from the Forest Green match, with Sacha Opinel replacing Michael Bostwick in the only alteration to the subs line-up.

Crawley started with promise, forcing an early corner before Cambridge 's Rob Wolleaston went into the book in just the sixth minute for a hard and late foul on Ben Judge.

Cambridge were clearly going to prove a sterner test than the Reds had met in their previous two games, and they managed to exploit a man advantage in a 10 th -minute attack, with Phil Smith in the home goal delighted to see Courtney Pitt tamely lift his shot over the bar.

Tony Scully volleyed over after 13 minutes and the Reds began to put together some decent moves, with Omari Coleman putting Scully clear on the left side of the area, where the winger jinked and lifted a teasing cross into the six-yard box, where it was cleared off the line by a defender.

A wonderful pass by Paul Armstrong released Scully – a former Cambridge player – again and he did the right thing firing hard and low across the box but neither Coleman or Steve Burton were able to get on the end of it and United again cleared it for a corner.

After 27 minutes Burton broke through the middle but failed to seek out a rampaging run by Scully on the right. He instead fed the ball through to Coleman, whose shot from a tight angle produced a save by Scott Howie and another corner.

With some quality players in their line-up, notably Colchester loan man Jamie Guy, Cambridge were not to be subdued easily and they had a decent chance to go ahead after 32 minutes when former Stevenage and Hereford winger Jon Brady came in late at the far post after a good move and should have done better with his header, which went wide.

Lee Blackburn, who switched from the left of midfield to the right five minutes before halftime, and Armstrong then set up Burton but again his centre wouldn't fall for any of his team-mates and was cleared.

Tommy Jaszczsun was booked for rugby tackling Burton as he tried to break clear near the halfway line, but the striker's retaliation also brought him a caution and half-time arrived with the game goalless.

The second period began with another booking, this time for Judge and Crawley made the decisive move in the game after 56 minutes as Giles climbed highest to convert a right-wing cross with a looping header.

The Reds were soon playing with even more confidence and Coleman might have done better with a diving header after Danny Clay and Scully combined on the left.

Cambridge 's chances of getting back into the game were hampered when ex-Chelsea man Wolleaston received a second yellow card for dissent after bringing down Leo Mendy, in a rare advanced position after 65 minutes. The Cambridge man was greeted with a flurry of red cards from home fans as he marched off.

Scully could have made it 2-0 after 72 minutes but tried to take the ball around the keeper rather than shoot and Howie did well to stretch out a hand and pluck the ball from his toe.

Cambridge kept two up front as they chased the game, which led to action at both ends, the best coming from an Armstrong break five minutes from time. The midfielder found Scully on the left and his attempted centre for the unmarked Burton in the area was just too far forward.

Crawley 's third straight clean sheet was never seriously troubled in the second half, though and the Red Devils will travel to Dagenham on Tuesday with hopes of further strengthening their league position.

Result: Saturday 25th March (Nationwide Conference)
Crawley Town 1
Cambridge United 0
Attendance: 1,472
Crawley Town: Smith, Judge, Brown, Giles, Mendy, Blackburn . Armstrong, Clay, Scully, Coleman (Ekoku 85), Burton.
Unused subs: Ward, Woozley, Jenkins, Opinel.