Burkina Faso
Friendly Games
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia
United Arab Emirates

Crawleyvs.Reading

sportsmole.co.uk, 6 March 2025, 12:17
Two teams battling at opposite ends of the League One table will clash on Saturday afternoon as relegation-threatened Crawley Town host playoff-hopefuls Reading.

The hosts are 23rd in the table with 29 points from 34 matches, while the visitors are eighth in the standings with 54 points from their 34 league fixtures.

Match preview

Crawley Town enjoyed a sensational 2023-24 campaign in League Two, surprisingly rising from 22nd in 2022-23 to finishing seventh and going on to win the playoffs, booking their return to League One for the first time since 2014-15.

However, the Red Devils have endured an extremely challenging return to the third division, currently placed 23rd in the standings with 29 points after 34 games, from seven wins, eight draws and 19 defeats.

They initially had a positive start to the season, winning their first four games across League One, the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy, but a run of 11 games without a victory followed.

Scott Lindsey also departed the club during that time, opting to move down a division to manage Milton Keynes Dons, with Rob Elliot swiftly taking charge of Crawley.

Elliot has been unable to turn Crawley's fortunes around since joining in October, winning just six of his 30 matches at the helm, alongside seven draws and 17 defeats.

That includes a three-game losing streak heading into this one, featuring a 4-1 defeat to Lincoln City last time out, leaving Crawley in desperate need of a victory, as they also trail safety by seven points.

The hosts will be major underdogs on Saturday, as their opponents, Reading, are coming into the encounter having avoided defeat in all of their last seven outings, while they are also in the race for a playoff place.

Reading currently place eighth in the League One table, boasting 54 points after 34 matches, from 15 wins, nine draws and 10 defeats, meaning they trail sixth-placed Huddersfield Town by four points.

Noel Hunt, who took charge in December after Ruben Selles left the club, did disappointingly see his side fall out of the playoff places after three successive defeats in late January, while four draws in their last seven has allowed for those above them to widen the gap.

Hunt will now be looking for his side to continue their unbeaten run with a victory over Crawley, with an eye on moving closer to the playoff places, and they should be confident given they secured a 4-1 victory in the reverse fixture in October.

Crawley Town League One form:

W

D

D

L

L

L

Reading League One form:

D

D

W

D

W

D

Team News

Crawley may be without Dion Conroy and Ade Adeyemo after the pair came off in the defeat to Lincoln City due to injuries, meaning Benjamin Tanimu and Antony Papadopoulos may start in their place.

Following the disappointing 4-1 defeat, Elliot may decide to make several other changes to the starting team, meaning the likes of Louie Watson and Gavan Holohan may start.

As for Reading, after recording their seventh successive match without a defeat, Hunt may opt to name an unchanged starting 11 to face Crawley on Saturday.

However, having failed to score in three of their last seven, Hunt could make changes to the starting attackers, meaning Adrian Akande and Kevin Ehibhatiomhan could start.

Crawley Town possible starting lineup:

Wollacott; Tanimu, Feely, Radcliffe, Papadopoulos; Quitirna, Barker, Watson, Holohan; Swan, John-Jules

Reading possible starting lineup:

Pereira; Rushesha, Mbengue, Bindon, Garcia; Savage, Wing, Knibbs; Ehibhatiomhan, Wareham, Akande

We say: Crawley Town 0-2 Reading

Written by

Ellis Stevens

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Fresh from booking their spot in the Europa League final, Manchester United will resume their Premier League campaign with a home fixture against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich have reportedly moved to the head of the queue for Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has become just the second manager in Manchester United's history to reach a major European final in his first season in charge, matching his fellow Portuguese Jose Mourinho's achievement from the 2016-17 campaign. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has said that Diogo Dalot "is doing everything to recover" from a calf problem in time to be involved in the Europa League final on May 21. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The Premier League season cannot end soon enough for Tottenham Hotspur, who continue their top-flight campaign at home to London rivals Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Istanbul vs. Fenerbahce (Friday, 6.00pm) Round 35 of the 2024-25 Turkish Super Lig kicks off with a clash between Fenerbahce, who are clinging to a slim title hope, and Istanbul Basaksehir, who remain in contention for a European place. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Both aiming to continue strong starts to the Major League Soccer season, Minnesota United and Inter Miami will do battle at Allianz Field on Saturday. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The final match of the MLS weekend will see the top-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps host a surging Los Angeles FC side on Sunday at BC Place Stadium. 9 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk With their hopes of staying in the Bundesliga resting on finishing in the relegation playoff spot, Heidenheim will travel to face Union Berlin at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Saturday. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Marcus Rashford is said to have changed agents in order to help a transfer to Barcelona materialise in the summer transfer window. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Santa Clara's quest for European football goes down to the wire as they play host to Famalicao at the Estadio de Sao Miguel in the penultimate game of the 2024-25 Primeira Liga campaign on Saturday. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly not offered Manchester City legend Kevin De Bruyne a contract ahead of the expiry of his deal in the summer. 8 May 2025 talksport.com Liam Manning labelled referee Oliver Langford's decision to send Rob Dickie off as a 'disgrace' as Bristol City's play-off hopes took a major blow. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has reportedly been recommended by former Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici as a replacement for Ange Postecoglou. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Eyupspor will look to halt their downward slide when they welcome Kasimpasa to Istanbul on matchday 35 of the Turkish Super Lig. 8 May 2025 talksport.com Ruben Amorim believes that luck, fitness and clinical finishing must go Manchester United's way in order to claim Europa League glory at Tottenham Hotspur's expense. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Galatasaray continue their march towards another Turkish Super Lig crown when they travel to the Black Sea coast for a clash with an in-form Trabzonspor side in one of the standout fixtures of round 35. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur wrote a new chapter of club history by downing Bodo/Glimt 2-0 to reach the 2024-25 Europa League final. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Second-bottom Saint-Etienne could be relegated from Ligue 1 this weekend when they travel to Stade Auguste-Delaune II to face a Reims side seeking consecutive home wins for the first time this season. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Visitors Borussia Monchengladbach must beat newly-crowned Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Saturday at Allianz Arena to keep their European hopes alive. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea made it to the final of the UEFA Conference League after beating Djurgardens IF 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday evening. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Angers and Strasbourg face off in the penultimate Ligue 1 fixture at Stade Raymond Kopa with much on the line. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City Women will wrap up the 2024-25 season when they welcome Crystal Palace Women to the Joie Stadium for Saturday's contest. 8 May 2025 talksport.com Robert Huth labelled Mikel Arteta 'bitter' and believes his controversial claims could have a detrimental effect on Arsenal. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk With European football at stake in the final two matchweeks of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season, Werder Bremen will host RB Leipzig at Weserstadion on Saturday. 8 May 2025 talksport.com Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will fight for European silverware in this season's all-England Europa League final. 8 May 2025 talksport.com The Europa League final is set and we will see an all-English showpiece between Manchester United and Tottenham. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Hosts Holstein Kiel could be relegated from the Bundesliga if they lose against Champions League hopefuls Freiburg on Saturday at Holstein-Stadion. 8 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United secured their place in the Europa League final with a 4-1 win on the night and 7-1 aggregate victory against Athletic Bilbao, setting up a Battle of Britain clash with Tottenham Hotspur.