Ajose does it again for Crawley (From The Argus)

Ajose does it again for Crawley

4:57pm Saturday 1st September 2012 in Sport By Howard Griggs

Nicky Ajose scored his third goal in as many games as Crawley went fourth in League One with a 1-0 win at home to Leyton Orient.

Ajose followed matchwinners against Doncaster Rovers and Bolton with the only goal 18 minutes from time as Crawley made it three league wins out of four since promotion.

Boss Richie Barker made four changes for the game but new signing Mike Jones had to be content with a place on the bench The game got off to a cracking start with Crawley keeper Paul Jones pushing away a shot from Martin Rowlands after 70 seconds.

Rowlands was booked for diving in the penalty area seconds later before Josh Simpson's volley from a half cleared corner was clawed away by visiting keeper Ryan Allsop – all within the first four minutes.

The game became something of a cat-and-mouse affair for the rest of the half with few chances of note apart from a speculative 35-yard shot from Orient's Michael Symes which went wide of the near post with Jones beaten.

The half, though, finished with a good chance for Crawley to break the deadlock as Billy Clarke's super pass released Nicky Adams. He shot for the far corner but Allsop got a slight touch to turn it behind for a corner.

Barker moved Ajose from the left of midfield to up front for the second half and he had a chance on 63 minutes when he knocked the ball past advancing keeper Allsop before poking a shot wide.

As he did so Ajose was muscled to the ground by defender Nathan Clarke and Crawley were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty.

Ajose did not have to wait long, however, as he broke the deadlock on 72 minutes, finishing with aplomb after latching on to a smart through ball from Mike Jones, who had come on three minutes earlier.

Full match analysis, reaction and pictures in The Argus on Monday.