Crawley Town 2-5 Carlisle United: Five-star Blues go second

Paul Simpson's Blues hit five on the road for the first time in more than five years as they pulverised their second-bottom hosts.

Joel Senior's first United goal was followed by strikes by Omari Patrick, Owen Moxon and Morgan Feeney before the break, Jon Mellish adding another in the second half.

Aramide Oteh and Dom Telford hit the slimmest of consolations for Crawley as emphatic United underlined their promotion credentials in Sussex.

Carlisle's prolific efforts included four goals in 23 first-half minutes as they laid waste to Scott Lindsey's strugglers in front of their vocal 504 travelling fans.

Adding to their brilliant win was defeat for Stevenage to Tranmere, which allowed Simpson's side to go second.

They are now three points above the play-off places on a day other rivals such as Stockport County and Mansfield Town also slipped up.

Simpson made one change to the side that started against Colchester United the previous weekend, with Senior returning in place of Jack Ellis at right wing-back.

Cumbrian defender Ellis was out of the squad, as Simpson handed last week's matchwinner Alfie McCalmont his second start, with Joe Garner and Patrick again getting the nod in attack.

Crawley welcomed Nick Tsaroulla - their matchwinner in this game last season - back into their XI, while Jack Roles came in for his first start in an XI and former Blues striker Ashley Nadesan was also recalled.

Joel Senior heads the opener (Image: Richard Parkes)

The hosts had the first attempt via Telford, with Garner shooting wide at the other end for the Blues.

Carlisle then survived two Crawley breaks, when Kellan Gordon failed to connect well with a chance and a Nadesan break from a Callum Guy slice was eventually seen off by the Blues.

United then put their foot down in devastating style.

First, in the 15th minute, an inspired run by Jon Mellish saw him take on Gordon down the left and cross to the back post, where Senior arrived with a diving header for his first Carlisle goal.

That delighted the travelling fans - and more was quickly to come.

Four minutes later, they carved Crawley open in style as Moxon slotted Patrick through and the forward finished clinically from the right.

United now looked like scoring at will, Garner and Moxon having further opportunities before, on 26 minutes, Moxon made it three, winning it on the left and evading defenders and, eventually, keeper Ryan Schofield to score.

Home boss Lindsey then made a substitution, replacing Ludwig Francilette with Aramide Oteh, but this did not tame United's rampant attacking.

Owen Moxon gets the third (Image: Richard Parkes)

Patrick could have made it four but shot across goal and wide on the break - but then on 38 minutes they did get another, when captain Feeney forced the ball home at the second attempt after a Moxon free-kick.

It was the first since since November 2011's FA Cup win at Alfreton that United had scored four in the first half on their travels - and they didn't settle for that after the break.

First, though, Crawley pulled one back when a cross from the right found Tsaroulla in space and he turned the ball back into the six-yard box where Oteh finished.

Yet it, the thinnest of replies, since Carlisle went back at their hosts with further intent.

Garner came close with a back-post header - then another corner, from Jack Armer, found Paul Huntington, and when his header was saved, Mellish was there to make it five.

It was their first five-goal haul away from home since a 5-0 win at Crewe in September 2017.

Patrick shot wide on the break as Carlisle eyed a sixth, with Dion Conroy's challenge denying McCalmont with United's next attack.

Simpson then sent on Dennis and Gordon for Garner and Patrick for the last quarter of the game, and after Dom Telford had a shot blocked for Crawley, Dennis was denied by Schofield as he broke through to shoot.

After further changes, Crawley got another back seven minutes from time when Telford pounced at close range.

Oteh went close in added time but United's emphatic win was never under any threat.

Crawley: Schofield, K Gordon, Conroy, Lynch, Francilette (Oteh 28), Powell (Mason 90), Tsaroulla, Fellows, Roles (Khaleel 58), Nadesan, Telford. Not used: Addai, Ransom, Spong, Ogungbo.

Goals: Oteh 49, Telford 84.

United: Holy, Feeney, Huntington, Mellish, Senior (Whelan 82), Armer, Guy, Moxon (Harris 74), McCalmont (Gibson 74), Patrick (JK Gordon 66), Garner (Dennis 66). Not used: Kelly, Robinson.

Goals: Senior 15, Patrick 19, Moxon 26, Feeney 38, Mellish 57.

Booked: Moxon.

Ref: Paul Howard.

Crowd: 2,970 (504 United fans).