Oldham

Oldham Athletic finished with nine men, and for most of the afternoon Boundary Park was waiting for Crawley Town to make it count. They did seven minutes into the second half, through Danilo Orsi, and it was enough for a 1-0 win the visitors badly needed.

It started brightly for Oldham. Calum Kavanagh shot wide inside the first minute and Mike Fondop headed over soon after. Then it unravelled. Kai Payne was shown a straight red card in the 14th minute for a midfield challenge on Orsi, and Oldham reshuffled four minutes later by sending on Tom Pett for Favour Fawunmi.

Down to nine before half an hour

On the half-hour mark Kane Drummond became the second. The wide man raised a boot to control a high ball as Kai Jennings went to head it, and referee David Rock sent him off. There was still an hour to play.

Oldham kept going, and Crawley couldn't find a way through before the break. Mathew Hudson saved from Dylan Morgan, Jude Arthurs and Morgan again, and it was 0-0 at half-time.

Woodwork, save, goal

Crawley got their reward in the 52nd minute. Charlie Barker hit the bar from outside the box, Hudson saved Orsi's header from point-blank range, and Orsi got to the rebound first and put it into the bottom left corner.

Oldham's nine men didn't stop running. Kavanagh made Vito Mannone work with a shot from distance, and Fondop and Donervon Daniels headed wide from set pieces. But Crawley were the side more likely to score again. Hudson saved from substitute Dion Pereira, and Ade Adeyemo shot over late on.

It was Crawley's first win in 11 League Two games. By the final whistle they had 18 shots to Oldham's 16, and six on target to two. It's a win that keeps them in touch at the bottom. For Oldham, two red cards in one game is something they'll have to look at.

"Your faith in the game gets tested"

Micky Mellon would not talk about either red card, but he didn't need to.

When you think that you work all week and you put everything into a performance and then, without being over dramatic, your faith in the game really gets tested.

Micky Mellon, Oldham Athletic manager (PA)

I'm not going to play the victim in how everybody with an Oldham connection – fans, players, staff – responded to a very trying afternoon with real guts and a lot of real good character from everybody concerned.

Micky Mellon

Kevin Blackwell, the interim manager after Colin Kazim-Richards' sacking, has four points from his two games in charge, and this was Crawley's first league clean sheet.

I'm pleased with the way we started, 11 v 11 we were on top, and then obviously the sendings off change the total nature of the game.

Kevin Blackwell, Crawley Town interim manager (PA)

It's clear what our target is now, let's go on and do it.

Kevin Blackwell