1. Only when they scored their winner were Crawley ever
ahead.
Just as when Dennis Taylor won the 1985 World Snooker
Championship at Crucible Theatre against Steve Davis he ever held a lead until
he sunk the final black in the final frame, Crawley Town didn’t hold a lead
against the Gulls until Tom Nichols scored their winner.
United had led 2-0, 4-2 and 5-3 and when Asa Hall scored his
second penalty they seemed destined to hold on to hang on to their lead and
seal their place in the second round. Sadly it wasn’t to be for the Gulls, as
Nichols netted twice in the 108th and 113th minutes to
complete his hat-trick, and Ashley Nadesan struck the winner in the 118th
minute. As the former Spurs and England
Jimmy Greaves would say ‘it’s a funny old game’.
2. Shades of Walsall from 1995-96.
Remarkably, despite whatever the score line might have
suggested, Torquay’s 6-5 FA Cup first round defeat to Crawley Town isn’t the
highest scoring FA Cup game that the Gulls have ever been involved in. In the
1995-96 season, the Gulls were beaten 8-4 in the second round of the
competition by Walsall. Strange as though it may seem, it was actually 3-3
after 90 minutes and Ian Hathaway nearly won it for United but he contrived to
hit both posts with a shot in the 90th minute, which would have seen
the Gulls win the game.
3.
The Crawley ‘curse’ continues.
In the wake of Sunday’s result United have now lost six of
their nine meetings with Crawley Town, and only one of their three victories
have ever come at Plainmoor. With the Gulls currently leading the National
League table could they have a shot at revenge next season?
4.
Three in three for Ben Whitfield.
One positive to come from United’s display was the
performance of Ben Whitfield who scored United’s second goal of the afternoon
and posed a threat to the Red Devils’ defence all afternoon.
