Crawley Town 1-2 Coventry City

Jordan Ponticelli scored twice as Coventry City boosted their League Two play-off bid with victory at mid-table Crawley Town.

Ponticelli grabbed the decider 12 minutes from time to give the Sky Blues their first win in four games and put them back into seventh place.

Coventry got off to an ideal start with teenager Ponticelli firing them ahead in only the fifth minute following a Marc McNulty cross after Crawley failed to clear from a free-kick.

Fit-again Dutch striker Thomas Verheydt had a goal-bound shot blocked by goalkeeper Lee Burge before the hosts levelled when defender Lewis Young rifled a low shot into the corner after 13 minutes.

Jonson Clarke-Harris, one of four changes made by Sky Blues boss Mark Robins, had a powerful drive tipped over by keeper Glenn Morris midway through the half.

Morris was called into action again just before the interval when he saved a shot from Liam Kelly after Karlan Ahearne-Grant dwelt on the ball.

Crawley skipper Jimmy Smith, on his 150th start for the club, should have hit the target when he was off target in front of goal after being set up by Ahearne-Grant.

Top-scorer McNulty came close to restoring City's lead after 72 minutes when his goal-bound shot was deflected over by Morris.

But Morris was beaten six minutes later when forward Ponticelli fired the winner with an angled shot after being set up by substitute Max Biamou.

Report supplied by the Press Association.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Crawley

• 1Morris
• 2Young
• 15Yorwerth
• 6Connolly
• 20TajbakhshBooked at 29minsSubstituted forDohertyat 61'minutes
• 21Bulman
• 4PayneSubstituted forRobertsat 78'minutes
• 7Boldewijn
• 8Smith
• 9Ahearne-Grant
• 23VerheydtSubstituted forCamaraat 60'minutes

Substitutes

• 3Doherty
• 5McNerney
• 11Roberts
• 12Mersin
• 25Randall
• 27Sanoh
• 28Camara

Coventry

• 1Burge
• 2Grimmer
• 4WillisSubstituted forDaviesat 82'minutes
• 5McDonald
• 24Haynes
• 6Kelly
• 8DoyleBooked at 64mins
• 18Clarke-HarrisSubstituted forBiamouat 67'minutes
• 30BaylissSubstituted forReidat 57'minutes
• 10McNulty
• 38Ponticelli

Substitutes

• 3Stokes
• 9Biamou
• 12Davies
• 13O'Brien
• 26Shipley
• 27Barrett
• 32Reid

Referee:

Lee Swabey

Attendance:

3,294

Match Stats

Home TeamCrawleyAway TeamCoventry

Possession

Home51%

Away49%

Shots

Home6

Away8

Shots on Target

Home4

Away6

Corners

Home0

Away5

Fouls

Home16

Away12

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Crawley Town 1, Coventry City 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Crawley Town 1, Coventry City 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Maxime Biamou (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.

Posted at 90'+3'

Foul by Dannie Bulman (Crawley Town).

Posted at 90'+3'

Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 90'+1'

Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Marc McNulty (Coventry City).

Posted at 90'+1'

Jordan Roberts (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Tom Davies (Coventry City).

Posted at 90'

Karlan Ahearne-Grant (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Jack Grimmer (Coventry City).

Posted at 89'

Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Josh Doherty.

Posted at 88'

Attempt saved. Karlan Ahearne-Grant (Crawley Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 86'

Attempt missed. Jimmy Smith (Crawley Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.

Posted at 84'

Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Dangerous play by Mark Connolly (Crawley Town).

Posted at 82'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Coventry City. Tom Davies replaces Jordan Willis because of an injury.

Posted at 81'

Delay in match Jordan Willis (Coventry City) because of an injury.

Substitution

Posted at 78'

Substitution, Crawley Town. Jordan Roberts replaces Josh Payne.

Goal!

Posted at 77'

Goal! Crawley Town 1, Coventry City 2. Jordan Ponticelli (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Maxime Biamou.

Posted at 77'

Attempt saved. Jack Grimmer (Coventry City) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Posted at 76'

Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Mark Connolly.

Posted at 74'

Attempt missed. Marc McNulty (Coventry City) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.

Posted at 72'

Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Glenn Morris.

Posted at 72'

Attempt saved. Marc McNulty (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 69'

Josh Yorwerth (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 69'

Foul by Liam Kelly (Coventry City).

Substitution

Posted at 67'

Substitution, Coventry City. Maxime Biamou replaces Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Posted at 65'

Ryan Haynes (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 65'

Foul by Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town).

Booking

Posted at 64'

Michael Doyle (Coventry City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 64'

Panutche Camara (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 64'

Foul by Michael Doyle (Coventry City).

Substitution

Posted at 61'

Substitution, Crawley Town. Josh Doherty replaces Aryan Taj.

Posted at 60'

Karlan Ahearne-Grant (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Michael Doyle (Coventry City).

Posted at 60'

Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Panutche Camara (Crawley Town).

Substitution

Posted at 60'

Substitution, Crawley Town. Panutche Camara replaces Thomas Verheydt.

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