FULL-TIME Swindon Town 3 Crawley Town 0 (From This Is Swindon Town FC)
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FULL-TIME Swindon Town 3 Crawley Town 0
9:45pm Tuesday 21st August 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren
SWINDON Town eased to their first league win of the season with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Crawley Town at the County Ground this evening.
Matt Ritchie, Tommy Miller and Raffa De Vita scored the goals as Town dominated their fellow promoted side, and it could have been more as the Robins fashioned a number of good chances during an impressive display.
Despite not finding the net, strikers Andy Williams and James Collins caught the eye on their first competitive start as a pair, with their movement and strength causing the Crawley defence problems throughout.
Both players like the ball to feet as well as looking to get in behind, and central midfield players Simon Ferry and Miller both found them well all night, allowing them to stretch the visiting defence almost at will.
Ritchie looked back to something close to his best after two quiet games by his standards, as he tore left-back Mat Sadler to shreds in a first half which yielded his first goal of the season.
The winger beat his man with ease before drifting in a cross which evaded visiting keeper Paul Jones, and Miller made it two before half-time as he arrived late in the box to drive home after De Vita’s header back across goal.
Town always looked threatening as they came out after the break, and they were rewarded as De Vita struck his shot back across goal after another good delivery from Ritchie.
The home side never stopped pressing, and although Williams and Collins both had chances they had to settle for a 3-0 victory in their first league outing at the County Ground.
HERE ARE THE KEY MOMENTS FROM THE MATCH
Three mins: Collins sees his effort deflected behind by Claude Davis as Town go close for the first time.
11 mins : Jay McEveley breaks down the left after superb work from Raffa De Vita, and after Paul Jones beats away the full-back's cross, Joe Devera heads over the resulting corner.
15 mins: Matt Ritchie drives in a low cross which Davis is forced to clear with Collins lurking.
16 mins: Town's appeals for a penalty are turned down by referee Keith Stroud as Collins tumbles to the floor, but the striker is penalised for a high boot which forces Davis to receive treatment.
19 mins: Hope Akpan lifts a shot harmlessly over the bar for the visitors after good build-up play from Nicky Adams and Josh Simpson.
24 mins: GOAL 1-0 TOWN (Ritchie): The Town winger is allowed too much time and space to dribble past two men on the right, and when he eventually sends in his right-footed cross it evades keeper Paul Jones and sails into the back of the net.
32 mins : The visitors begin to respond to going behind, as first Gary Alexander's shot is deflected behind, before Kyle McFadzean's header lands on the roof of the net.
35 mins: Andy Williams fires into the side netting after good work from Ritchie.
41 mins: Wes Foderingham dives to his right to tip Billy Clarke's header behind.
44 mins: GOAL 2-0 TOWN (Miller): Ritchie whips the ball in from the right, and after De Vita heads back across goal, Tommy Miller is on hand to fire in from 12 yards.
HALF TIME
50 mins: Ritchie shoots straight at Jones as Town have the first effort on goal of the second half.
61 mins: The outstretched James Collins can’t quite reach Simon Ferry’s cross.
63 mins : GOAL 3-0 Town (De Vita): De Vita waits at the back post and picks up Ritchie's ball, and fires back into the corner with the keeper unable to do anything about it.
67 mins: Williams drives into the Crawley half and fires a vicious shot which Jones does well to save.
75 mins: Nicky Adams fires straight at Foderingham as Crawley mount a rare attack.
78 mins: Aden Flint heads home well, but his effort is ruled out for offside.
86 mins: Collins dances round two defenders before unleashing a shot which Jones is forced to punch clear.
Comments(31)
Another view
says...
10:03pm Tue 21 Aug 12
This quote is from the official site. Doesn't sound as if PDC was upset -
Di Canio insists he will take the positives from the draw at Victoria Park as his side look to build on their last two games of defensive solidity. “We arrive at tonight’s game after a 0-0 draw at Hartlepool United on Saturday afternoon. I wasn’t disappointed with the performance, but after such a magnificent game against Brighton, it was difficult to go to Hartlepool with full batteries. I was happy to confirm our solidity at Hartlepool because we kept a clean sheet and created chances ourselves so we will not complain.
“Over the last two games we have conceded no goals and scored three and that’s a good record.”
jontyg
says...
10:04pm Tue 21 Aug 12
fatman
says...
10:06pm Tue 21 Aug 12
could not get the commentry ,why they changed the way things were done last season I dont know , going to cancel tomorrow
akershaker
says...
10:07pm Tue 21 Aug 12
YOU REDS
topsecret
says...
10:21pm Tue 21 Aug 12
wurzelday
says...
10:22pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Malkym
says...
10:32pm Tue 21 Aug 12
akershaker wrote:Can't really disagree or add to any of that pretty much my thoughts - not sure MR would have been my MoM mind you, even though he was solid throughout. Thought RdV had a great game and could easily have got MoM even though he was taken off. Ferry excellent game and Devera too, won't matter if Blades bound Caddis goes with JD playing like that.As akers said the new boys performed well and what bench back up too - more of the same on Saturday please lads. An enjoyable watch.
Great tonight. To bring in 3 players who play as well as they did, it's a strong squad. Fitness of the team is outstanding. Defence looks very solid. 3 games - 6 scored, 0 conceded. De Vita had a cracking game and looks a completely different player this season. Devera likewise - Caddis will struggle to take the place off him - he even made an overlapping run! Flint won nearly every ball in the air. Wes, Jay were great. Every ball Ritchie put over found a man (or the net!) Ferry ran all night and incredible work rate from him and the two frontmen. Williams is class and quick, even at the 85min. Collins also, although he will need to find a bit more strength on the ball to become a top top player. With Benno Navarra Roberts Rooney Troy... also all strong players it could be a cracking season! YOU REDS
Malkym
says...
10:37pm Tue 21 Aug 12
mancrobin wrote:Funny but they don't seem half as creepy without the obnoxious Evans in the dug-out I thought tonight.
Sounds like we crawled all over the Creepies.
dreamofacleansheet2
says...
10:42pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Keep saying it but if Buckland is worth more than £6m they turned down how much is Sir Wes worth?
Keep thirty clean sheets a season and you win the league. We're winning the league.
Ps Dear Paul, hoped you listen to the crowd at the end chanting for our manager. No doubt who is more important, sort it out and join the ride.
the don69
says...
10:46pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Malkym
says...
10:58pm Tue 21 Aug 12
dreamofacleansheet2 wrote:Lol!! Don!!
Thought we were about 60% on it tonight. Defence solid without Troy and Caddis. I'm not sure he'll leave but let's see. Keep saying it but if Buckland is worth more than £6m they turned down how much is Sir Wes worth? Keep thirty clean sheets a season and you win the league. We're winning the league. Ps Dear Paul, hoped you listen to the crowd at the end chanting for our manager. No doubt who is more important, sort it out and join the ride.
Dreams - think about it -isn't Sheffield closer to Scotland ...and the mother in law - for nursery and baby-sitting duties and DW would sign him like a shot wouldn't he?
I just think it's stalemate and don't see a way back for PC which from a squad perspective is disappointing as he was very influential in getting us up last season.
the wizard
says...
11:00pm Tue 21 Aug 12
stigger
says...
11:16pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Davidsyrett
says...
11:21pm Tue 21 Aug 12
mikek
says...
11:24pm Tue 21 Aug 12
the wizard wrote:Hi Wiz hope you are well bud. Ferry for me was my MOM and he looks fitter than I have ever seen him and ran his socks off. Mind you the rest were simply magnificent tonight and what a solid performance from the team for 90 plus minutes and Paolo must be over the moon with this team tonight. Strikers looked excellent together and Williams looks a fantastic purchase and now we have 3 excellent strikers on the books with Miles Storey waiting in the wings. Flint was awesome tonight and won everything. Great win and now Town face a stern test against MK Dons coming up Saturday.
Good to hear from so many Ferry had a good game.
andy5364
says...
11:25pm Tue 21 Aug 12
andy5364
says...
11:26pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Oi Den!
says...
11:29pm Tue 21 Aug 12
.
We were irresistable tonight. Strength and fitness all over the pitch. Something else that stood out for me was the fact that we now seem to be a team with plenty of knowhow and guile. A year ago we were easy pickings. Tonight we had a team that knew how to take charge of a game. Play like that in every match from now on and promotion will be a formality. Great to keep that duck egg in the goals conceded column - can only breed more confidence
Oi Den!
says...
11:32pm Tue 21 Aug 12
mikek wrote:Mike, "Ferry looks fitter than I have ever seen him". Those were the exact words I said to my mate halfway through the second half.
the wizard wrote:Hi Wiz hope you are well bud. Ferry for me was my MOM and he looks fitter than I have ever seen him and ran his socks off. Mind you the rest were simply magnificent tonight and what a solid performance from the team for 90 plus minutes and Paolo must be over the moon with this team tonight. Strikers looked excellent together and Williams looks a fantastic purchase and now we have 3 excellent strikers on the books with Miles Storey waiting in the wings. Flint was awesome tonight and won everything. Great win and now Town face a stern test against MK Dons coming up Saturday.
Good to hear from so many Ferry had a good game.
Oxon-Red
says...
11:37pm Tue 21 Aug 12
The MoM was probably the hardest to choose for a long time as around me I heard 5 names mentioned, Flint, Devera, Ritchie, De Vita and Ferry. You could probably add the other 6 as well and made a case for them.
Still think the reason Caddis is not involved is fitness and that the next week will prove/disprove this. What is comforting is the way that Joe has slotted in and provided Paul with real competition if, as I hope, he does return for us.
First real test on Saturday but after tonight I say "Bring it on" !!!
COYMR
andy5364
says...
11:37pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Oi Den! wrote:Totally agree never seen Ferry so thin . He looked half the man of two years ago , and a great performance as well .COYR
mikek wrote:Mike, "Ferry looks fitter than I have ever seen him". Those were the exact words I said to my mate halfway through the second half.
the wizard wrote:Hi Wiz hope you are well bud. Ferry for me was my MOM and he looks fitter than I have ever seen him and ran his socks off. Mind you the rest were simply magnificent tonight and what a solid performance from the team for 90 plus minutes and Paolo must be over the moon with this team tonight. Strikers looked excellent together and Williams looks a fantastic purchase and now we have 3 excellent strikers on the books with Miles Storey waiting in the wings. Flint was awesome tonight and won everything. Great win and now Town face a stern test against MK Dons coming up Saturday.
Good to hear from so many Ferry had a good game.
donaldslovechild
says...
11:38pm Tue 21 Aug 12
dreamofacleansheet2 wrote:Imo dream we were nearer to 100% in terms of effort, closing down and playing at a high tempo than I have seen us for the vast majority of games. Wes is great but he will have far sterner challenges than tonight, although he was as efficient as ever.
Thought we were about 60% on it tonight. Defence solid without Troy and Caddis. I'm not sure he'll leave but let's see.
Keep saying it but if Buckland is worth more than £6m they turned down how much is Sir Wes worth?
Keep thirty clean sheets a season and you win the league. We're winning the league.
Ps Dear Paul, hoped you listen to the crowd at the end chanting for our manager. No doubt who is more important, sort it out and join the ride.
Our collective motivation was excellent and it cannot be a coincidence that it follows our 'terrible display' Saturday and rather undermines the opinions expressed regarding PDC's man management skills. Highly encouraging.
Final note-I thought the travelling Crawley fans were awesome and chanted for the entire second half. Great effort guys and will certainly have done STFC-Creepie relations no harm!!
the wizard
says...
11:40pm Tue 21 Aug 12
mikek wrote:Perfect double tonight as The Slug got beat despite their heavy possession, Northampton still despatched them, so he is probably cooking in his own fat right now, splendid !
the wizard wrote:Hi Wiz hope you are well bud. Ferry for me was my MOM and he looks fitter than I have ever seen him and ran his socks off. Mind you the rest were simply magnificent tonight and what a solid performance from the team for 90 plus minutes and Paolo must be over the moon with this team tonight. Strikers looked excellent together and Williams looks a fantastic purchase and now we have 3 excellent strikers on the books with Miles Storey waiting in the wings. Flint was awesome tonight and won everything. Great win and now Town face a stern test against MK Dons coming up Saturday.
Good to hear from so many Ferry had a good game.
Nice to see RDV get some plaudits as well. he did more last season than many thought, and that came out in the DVD. So many saying good things about Jedward, and that is always good reading and excellent news.
If we can get point(s) at Franchise then maybe its the start of a roll. Nice to hear that Devera is continuing to improve like he did from January onwards. Perfect end to the month for me would be to see Caddis and PdC back in the old routine of last season, and I think quite a few would subscribe to that. Both wings would then function far better as I think the guy has good vision.
Always good to see you on here and pleased to see that all is well. Best regards.
TelSTFC
says...
11:42pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Devera played great overlapping to support Ritchie.
Roll on Saturday and Paolo was full of praise for the performance. What a great time to be a Swindon fan so proud of the commitment that Paolo has installed along with his passion its brilliant.
Oxon-Red
says...
11:44pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Oi Den! wrote:Den,
Tremendous performance. Almost any one of them could have been named man of the match, but I'm with Malk - De Vita shaded it for me, even leaving aside his goal, but what a sweet finish that was. . We were irresistable tonight. Strength and fitness all over the pitch. Something else that stood out for me was the fact that we now seem to be a team with plenty of knowhow and guile. A year ago we were easy pickings. Tonight we had a team that knew how to take charge of a game. Play like that in every match from now on and promotion will be a formality. Great to keep that duck egg in the goals conceded column - can only breed more confidence
The Duck Egg at home must be approaching a record. The last goal conceded was against Shrewsbury (I think) way back in ? (a long time ago).
Help London Red !!!!!
COYMR
aussieg
says...
11:49pm Tue 21 Aug 12
Wilesy
says...
12:48am Wed 22 Aug 12
Anyone doubting Paolo should just have been there tonight. Whatever people think about he says this or how he does that, or how the ego of Caddis may have been bruised a tad, the players on the field today have clearly bought into it, and that's the important thing. Paolo simply has the X Factor as a manager, just enjoy it.
Comments on the game
1) Front 3 (Collins Williams Benson) look the best in years. Much better than all last season's other forwards.
2) Nice to see Flint back in there, won everything, the partnership with Macca as good as ever
3) Devera looked rock solid at right back, no problems there. Got forward occasionally too. Not as good as Caddis going forward, but better in the air.
4) De Vita on left wing played as well as I've seen the Huddersfield game. Quick feet and linked well with McEveley who also looks lean and as added a bit of pace I think
5) Ferry had a quiet first half but his fitness shone through with those late lung busting runs and got back to defend well too.
6) Wes came up with a big save as usual having gone a while with little to do. A real class act.
7) The experience Miller gives us in the middle is fantastic. I watched him for a while, his positioning, his talking and his all rond game is quite something, he always seems to be in the right place at right time.
It all looks good, bring on MK!
Wilesy
says...
12:51am Wed 22 Aug 12
Farteaboy
says...
5:23am Wed 22 Aug 12
stfcknowitall
says...
9:21am Wed 22 Aug 12
fatman wrote:Just go to the BBC swindon town page and listen online from there. All the commentary on the STFC player is only the commentary from BBC Swindon anyway so your be listening to the exactly the same thing, plus its free on bbc!
Bloody Swindon town player failed again could not get the commentry ,why they changed the way things were done last season I dont know , going to cancel tomorrow
mancrobin says...
9:55pm Tue 21 Aug 12