Match ends, Crawley Town 2, MK Dons 2.
Crawley Town 2-2 Milton Keynes Dons
- From the section Football
Crawley striker Matt Harrold played in goal for over 50 minutes and won man of the match as his side conceded a last-minute equaliser to draw with MK Dons.
With no keeper on the bench, Harrold, who had never previously played in goal, came on for Brian Jensen after the Dane dislocated a finger.
Izale McLeod's penalty had given Crawley a first-half lead and his low shot made it 2-0 after the break.
However, Will Grigg's header and Alli's scrambled shot earned MK Dons a point.
Harrold, 30, with Jensen giving him encouragement from the stand behind the goal, made a number of saves to deny the visitors but was ultimately left heartbroken.
| Tea-gate |
|---|
| After the game, MK boss Karl Robinson claimed one of his players had tea thrown on them and his assistant was spat at by Crawley fans |
| Crawley say they will await the referee's report and carry out an internal investigation |
| Read more here |
He told BBC Surrey: "I've never played in goal before. Not even in training.
"I got pressured into it because everyone just looked at me and said 'you're big'. It's a bit embarrassing because it's my first man of the match for the club."
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The former Bristol Rovers man added: "It was such a late goal to concede and we're all devastated but we would have taken a point when I went in goal.
"It was a bit like playing with 10 men because we dropped deep and they hung high balls up at me but I did enjoy it.
"I felt comfortable in there in the second half after having a bit of a shocker when I first came on."
The draw means Crawley remain in the League One relegation zone, while Karl Robinson's promotion-chasing side sit third.
Crawley Town interim boss Dean Saunders told BBC Surrey:
"The fourth official put the board up with five minutes extra and played 96. Eventually there're so many people in the box that one of the balls has dropped to them and it feels like we've lost two points.
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"We've got one goalkeeper at the club which I find unbelievable really but we have one keeper at the club and I was hoping we could get through this game and next week I can address it.
"Matt Harrold has gone in goal - hero. All the players have done well today and I can't pick any of them out.
"All of them have battled and done everything I asked and the reaction from the supporters tells you everything and Crawley was like Crawley again. It was hostile and they definitely got us a result, so the more I talk about it I think it's a point gained."
Line-ups
Crawley
- 1JensenSubstituted forHarroldat 39'minutes
- 2Oyebanjo
- 25Ward
- 12Walsh
- 6Bradley
- 7EdwardsSubstituted forAndersonat 69'minutes
- 4HendersonSubstituted forYoungat 26'minutes
- 8Smith
- 33Elliott
- 9McLeod
- 21TomlinBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 14Young
- 15Banya
- 17Anderson
- 18Harrold
- 20Bawling
MK Dons
- 1Martin
- 12SpenceSubstituted forPowellat 64'minutes
- 6KaySubstituted forHitchcockat 88'minutes
- 5McFadzean
- 3Lewington
- 10Reeves
- 8Potter
- 22CarruthersSubstituted forBowditchat 52'minutes
- 13BakerBooked at 90mins
- 11GriggBooked at 90mins
- 14AlliBooked at 87mins
Substitutes
- 2Hodson
- 7Green
- 9Bowditch
- 16McLoughlin
- 17Powell
- 18Baldock
- 19Hitchcock
- Referee:
- Graham Salisbury
- Attendance:
- 2,468
Match Stats
Home TeamCrawleyAway TeamMK Dons
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away8
- Corners
- Home0
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home19
- Away8
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crawley Town 2, MK Dons 2.
Booking
Carl Baker (MK Dons) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Booking
William Grigg (MK Dons) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
Goal!
Goal! Crawley Town 2, MK Dons 2. Dele Alli (MK Dons) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Ben Reeves (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Izale McLeod (Crawley Town).
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.
Attempt missed. Carl Baker (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Booking
Gavin Tomlin (Crawley Town) is shown the yellow card.
Antony Kay (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Gavin Tomlin (Crawley Town).
Substitution
Substitution, MK Dons. Tom Hitchcock replaces Antony Kay.
Booking
Dele Alli (MK Dons) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Dele Alli (MK Dons).
Sonny Bradley (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Jimmy Smith.
Kyle McFadzean (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Izale McLeod (Crawley Town).
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Lanre Oyebanjo.
Goal!
Goal! Crawley Town 2, MK Dons 1. William Grigg (MK Dons) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Ben Reeves.
Antony Kay (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lewis Young (Crawley Town).
Attempt blocked. Dele Alli (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Foul by Dean Bowditch (MK Dons).
Gavin Tomlin (Crawley Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Marvin Elliott.
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Darren Ward.
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.
Dele Alli (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lewis Young (Crawley Town).
Substitution
Substitution, Crawley Town. Blair Anderson replaces Gwion Edwards.
Attempt missed. Antony Kay (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
Dele Alli (MK Dons) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marvin Elliott (Crawley Town).
Attempt missed. William Grigg (MK Dons) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Substitution
Substitution, MK Dons. Daniel Powell replaces Jordan Spence.
Corner, MK Dons. Conceded by Lanre Oyebanjo.
Foul by Darren Ward (Crawley Town).
Ben Reeves (MK Dons) wins a free kick in the defensive half.