Match ends, Crawley Town 1, Coventry City 2.
CrawleyCrawley Town1CoventryCoventry City2
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
Crawley
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 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
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 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
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crawley Town 1, Coventry City 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. Maxime Biamou (Coventry City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.
Post update
Foul by Dannie Bulman (Crawley Town).
Post update
Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Enzio Boldewijn (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Marc McNulty (Coventry City).
Post update
Jordan Roberts (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Tom Davies (Coventry City).
Post update
Karlan Ahearne-Grant (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Jack Grimmer (Coventry City).
Post update
Corner, Coventry City. Conceded by Josh Doherty.
Post update
Attempt saved. Karlan Ahearne-Grant (Crawley Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jimmy Smith (Crawley Town) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Post update
Liam Kelly (Coventry City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Dangerous play by Mark Connolly (Crawley Town).
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Coventry City. Tom Davies replaces Jordan Willis because of an injury.
Post update
Delay in match Jordan Willis (Coventry City) because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Jordan Roberts replaces Josh Payne.
