Crawley 1 Morecambe 3: Poor first half brings second successive home defeat
Crawley Town suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat at home to Morecambe.
The visitors found no problem cutting through the Crawley defence to go 2-0 up after just eight minutes through goals by Rhys Turner and Paul Mullin.
Mullin then added a third goal for the Shrimpers in the 40th minute and it was effectively game over by half-time.
Crawley scored a consolation goal in the 77th minute from a spot-kick, taken by James Collins but although for his 18th goal of the season.
It gave something for the home fans to cheer, it was not enough to effect the result.
Head coach Dermot Drummy fielded an unchanged team from the side which beat Colchester.
Reds got off to a disastrous start, finding themselves 2-0 down in the first eight minutes.
Morecambe opened the scoring in the third minute when Michael Rose crossed from the right to Turner, who headed well into the net.
They soon added a second when Mullen went on a run down the right, cut inside and beat Mark Connolly before slotting home.
After their shocking start, Connolly struck a long-range shot from 25 yards which was saved by keeper Barry Roche, who got down low to grab the ball at the second attempt.
Reds forced Morecambe keeper Roche into action again when a shot by Collins was parried only as far as Cox, whose attempt on goal curled wide.
Morecambe added a third just before half-time when Reds failed to clear a corner and Mullin scored woith a deflected shot into the net.
Crawley made a substitution at half-time with recent signing Rhys Murphy replacing Kaby Djalo and playing alongside Collins up front.
But it was the visitors who went close to scoring a fourth when a cross from the left found Mullin who struck first time narrowly wide.
Connolly made as great clearnance off the line to deny a shot from Lee Molyneux.
Drummy brought on Billy Clifford in place of Cox with 21 minutes to go as they went in search of a comeback.
Crawley pulled a goal back from from the penalty spot, after Murphy was fouled in the area, and placed to the right of keeper Roche by Collins with 13 minutes to go.
Josh Lelan fired a shot well wide following a corner taken by Conor Henderson.
REDS: Morris, Young, Lelan (Bawling 90), Connolly, Roberts, Henderson, Djalo (Murphy 46), Smith (capt), Boldewijn, Cox (Clifford 69), Collins.
Unused subs: Merson, Payne, Blackman, Yorwerth
MORECAMBE: Roche, Wakefield, Edwards, Winnard (capt), Mullin, Molyeux, Whitmore, Fleming, Turner (Ellison 58), Evans (Wildig 68), Rose.
Unused subs: Nizic, McGowan, Conlan, Hedley, Jordan
REFEREE: Charles Breakspear
ATTENDANCE: 2,091 (49 away)
Crawley Town Man of the Match: Glenn Morris