Match ends, Crawley Town 1, Peterborough United 4.
CrawleyCrawley Town1PeterboroughPeterborough United4
Peterborough United climbed up to second in League One after coming from behind to thrash Crawley.
Izale McLeod put Crawley ahead inside two minutes with a low finish.
Michael Smith soon fired into the roof of the net to level before Christian Burgess headed in Jon Taylor's corner to give Posh a half-time lead.
Marcus Maddison tapped in for 3-1 after intercepting a pass from home keeper Jamie Ashdown, before Conor Washington slotted in the fourth.
Peterborough remain five points behind leaders Bristol City, who beat Chesterfield 3-2 with an injury-time winner from Wes Burns.
Crawley Town boss John Gregory told BBC Sussex:
"The Peterborough third goal really killed us but the first two were gifts and the third one was an early Christmas present.
"We have thanked Jamie Ashdown) on many weeks for keeping us in games, but he made a big mistake today and the game turned on that moment.
"We contributed to our own downfall in many respects and we have played better teams than Peterborough this season.
"We did gift them the goals and I would have like to have thought that had we not donated the goals we could have made more of a game.
"It was a hard afternoon and harsh lesson for lots of our players. I certainly felt in the last few weeks we have got the quality to do something at the other end."
Line-ups
Crawley
Formation 4-4-2
- 25Ashdown
- 2Oyebanjo
- 6Bradley
- 5Leacock
- 26Sadler
- 33Elliott
- 16KeaneBooked at 64mins
- 14Young
- 8Smith
- 9McLeodSubstituted forHarroldat 24'minutesBooked at 82mins
- 21TomlinSubstituted forBanyaat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Jensen
- 4Henderson
- 15Banya
- 18Harrold
- 20Bawling
Peterborough
Formation 3-5-2
- 27Alnwick
- 6BostwickBooked at 14mins
- 5Baldwin
- 21Burgess
- 2Smith
- 15AndersonSubstituted forMcCannat 83'minutes
- 30MaddisonSubstituted forOztumerat 90+2'minutes
- 8Payne
- 17NewellBooked at 81mins
- 7TaylorSubstituted forMcEvoyat 82'minutes
- 14Washington
Substitutes
- 9James
- 10Oztumer
- 11McCann
- 18Ferdinand
- 20McEvoy
- 22Almeida Santos
- 32Grant
- Referee:
- Michael Bull
- Attendance:
- 2,832
Match Stats
Home TeamCrawleyAway TeamPeterborough
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away18
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away10
- Corners
- Home6
- Away13
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crawley Town 1, Peterborough United 4.
Substitution
Substitution, Peterborough United. Erhun Oztumer replaces Marcus Maddison.
Post update
Jimmy Smith (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Joe Newell (Peterborough United).
Post update
Marvin Elliott (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Marcus Maddison (Peterborough United).
Post update
Foul by Keith Keane (Crawley Town).
Post update
Marcus Maddison (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Lanre Oyebanjo (Crawley Town) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Kenneth McEvoy (Peterborough United).
Post update
Foul by Lanre Oyebanjo (Crawley Town).
Post update
Jack Payne (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Peterborough United. Grant McCann replaces Jermaine Anderson.
Substitution
Substitution, Peterborough United. Kenneth McEvoy replaces Jon Taylor.
Booking
Matt Harrold (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Matt Harrold (Crawley Town).
Post update
Christian Burgess (Peterborough United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Booking
Joe Newell (Peterborough United) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Lanre Oyebanjo (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
