Crawly Green toss away lead in Baldock Town defeat

Crawley Green tossed away a one-goal lead as they conceded two second half goals in a matter of minutes as they lost 2-1 at Baldock Town in Molten Spartan SML Division One.

After an even opening it was Crawley who created the first real chance on eight minutes when Liam Toomey made ground down the left and pulled the ball back for John Butler, but he ballooned the ball over the bar.

Toomey then had two efforts blocked, while Nathan Aulsberry replied with a shot for Baldock which was easily saved by Dean Bull.

Baldock keeper Nicky Stillwell tipped Butler’s header from Craig Savage’s long throw over the bar after half an hour, before Matt Baldry’s header from another Savage throw was saved by Stillwell.

Savage had an effort roll across the bar just before the break as the Maroons started to dominate the second half and deservedly took the lead three minutes in

Peter O’Donnell failed to make contact with Lui Sarrington’s whipped cross from the right, but Chris Gibson was on hand to score at the back post.

Crawley created a number of chances over the next 30 minutes, but failed to increase their lead.

Gibson went through on 53 minutes, but his shot was scrambled clear by Stillwell.

Baldry and Toomey both had headers saved by Stillwell, before Butler put through Gibson again but he shot straight at the keeper.

Gibson headed wide from Sarrington’s on 66th-minute corner and, after soaking up the pressure, Baldock equalised against the run of play after 74 minutes when Josh Butina got the better of Baldry down the left and his cross was fired home by Nathan Aulsberry.

A minute later Baldock tok the lead when Luke Hennessey latched on to a long ball forward and raced through to drive the ball past Bull.

Crawley bombarded the Baldock goal in the closing stages as Butler missed a simple header and Gibson and O’Donnell both had shots saved by Stillwell.

In the final minute Crawley had one last chance, which fell to O’Donnell, but his shot was saved by man of the match Stillwell to earn the hosts all three points.

This Saturday the Maroons head to Sun Postal Sports in the league.

Attendance: 44.