Match Report – Crawley Town 1 – 1 Reading FC

ROYALS DROP POINTS AT CRAWLEY

Reading FC were left frustrated after conceding a late equaliser in their 1-1 draw against Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium on Saturday, 8th March 2025. Despite taking the lead in the first half through Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, Panutche Camara struck in the dying minutes to rescue a point for the hosts.

The Royals arrived in West Sussex with a strong vocal travelling support, fully expecting to take all three points. Crawley, however, made it difficult with a disciplined defensive performance and a spirited late push that ultimately paid off.

First Half: Early Control, Clinical Finish

The opening minutes of the match saw both sides cautiously probing for opportunities, with possession fairly evenly split. Reading, wearing their teal third kit, looked more comfortable in the midfield battle but struggled to carve out clear chances in the final third.

In the 29th minute, Reading finally made their breakthrough. A cross into the Crawley box was only half-cleared and fell to Harvey Knibbs, who instinctively nodded the ball towards Ehibhatiomhan. The Reading striker displayed excellent composure, controlling the ball before volleying into the bottom corner beyond goalkeeper Joe Wollacott. It was a moment of real quality in an otherwise scrappy first half.

Crawley almost responded immediately through Max Anderson, whose effort from outside the box was blocked and cleared to safety. Reading continued to apply pressure, with Knibbs coming inches away from meeting a teasing cross that could have doubled their advantage.

The last action of the half saw Crawley’s Toby Mullarkey unleash a long-range curling shot, but it sailed just wide of Joel Pereira’s post. Reading entered the break with a 1-0 lead and looked well on course for three points.

Half-Time Score: Crawley 0-1 Reading

Second Half: Missed Chances Prove Costly

The second period began with Reading pressing high up the pitch, forcing Crawley into mistakes. Billy Bodin latched onto a loose pass and surged forward with Panutche Camara alongside him, but his attempted pass just evaded the latter, wasting a promising two-on-one situation.

Noel Hunt made his first substitutions just after the hour mark, introducing Chem Campbell and Jayden Wareham for Mamadi Camara and Ehibhatiomhan. The fresh legs gave Reading renewed energy, with Wareham doing well to flick on a long ball into the path of Knibbs, but the Reading winger was unable to get the crucial touch.

Luke Wing tried his luck with a long-range free-kick in the 80th minute, but his strike drifted wide. With Reading unable to find a second goal, Crawley began to push forward, sensing an opportunity to salvage something from the game.

In the 90th minute, the hosts got their reward. A scrappy passage of play in the Reading box ended with Camara reacting quickest to stab the ball past Pereira. It was a gut-wrenching moment for the Royals, who had controlled large parts of the game but failed to put the contest to bed.

The final whistle blew moments later, confirming a disappointing result for Reading.

Full-Time Score: Crawley 1-1 Reading

Match Highlights

Match Statistics

The stats paint a frustrating picture for Reading. While they were disciplined in possession and defended well for much of the game, they lacked attacking threat, managing just five shots all game. The xG figure of 0.36 suggests they did not create many clear-cut chances, whereas Crawley’s 0.63 xG, though not high, showed they were more effective when attacking.

Reading’s inability to capitalise on their lead was evident in their passing statistics. Despite a solid 71% accuracy, they struggled with penetration in the opposition half, completing just 121 passes in that area.

Discipline was another issue, with Reading committing nine fouls, leading to a late yellow card for Campbell in the 87th minute. These small errors allowed Crawley to maintain pressure and ultimately get their equaliser.

Defensive Resilience: Michael Stickland’s Standout Performance

Reading’s man of the match was undoubtedly Michael Stickland, who impressed on his first start for the senior team. The young defender showed composure and determination, winning the most duels (13) and completing three successful tackles.

Stickland’s defensive awareness helped keep Crawley at bay for most of the match, and he showed strong aerial ability, winning 73% of his battles in the air. Despite his efforts, the team as a whole couldn’t hold out for the full 90 minutes.

Reading FC Manager – Noel Hunt

“It felt it was two points dropped.

“The sun was out and the pitch was lively, and we had kept them out until we dropped too deep and let the cross in late in the game.

“It’s disappointing not to have the three points but it was one of those games, we nearly got there.

“We’re unbeaten in eight games but there has been five draws and it’s about turning the draws into wins.

Hunt, in charge for three months, said his men need luck to go with them with 11 games remaining, while he also gave Michael Strickland his first league start as defensive injuries bite.

“We haven’t got the biggest of squads,” Hunt said.

“We’re at home to Wrexham on Tuesday, it is an exciting game and we needed to keep going, keep fighting and give everything we’ve got.”

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Crawley Town Manager – Rob Elliot

“We deserved a point and we will move on the best we can,” said the former Gateshead boss.

“We are at the point where we are struggling to put bodies on the pitch.

“I was pleased with the momentum we built up and Panutche gave us energy when he came on and got us the goal.”

Final Thoughts

Reading and their fans will feel this was a game they should have won. Despite leading for most of the match, they struggled to create meaningful attacking chances and ultimately paid the price for their failure to kill the game off. Crawley, to their credit, kept pushing and found their equaliser when it mattered most.

Looking ahead, Reading must improve their attacking output if they want to stay in the hunt for promotion. Their defensive solidity was encouraging, but without more cutting edge in the final third, they will struggle to pick up wins in tight games like this.

A frustrating afternoon for the Royals, but with lessons to take forward.

Next Match: Reading return to action on Wednesday as we take on the Hollywood boys of Wrexham at the SCL – 8pm Kickoff.