Source: Daily_Mail
Manchester United 1 Crawley Town 0: Brown ends the Cup dream of non-leaguers
Injury-time was under way andManchester United were labouring dreadfully in their FA Cup fifth-roundtie when a deflected corner dropped for Crawley forward Richard Brodie.[LNB]Standing on the six-yard line, thestriker placed his header firmly over keeper Anders Lindegaard and allof Old Trafford stopped and waited for what seemed to be theinevitable. [LNB]Justice, it seemed, would be doneand a deserved replay earned by the non-League team who, for the entiresecond half, had matched their illustrious opponents, outpassed them attimes and created by far the better chances. [LNB] Goalden touch: Manchester United's Wes Brown rises above the defence head the ball into the net[LNB]But Brodie's header rebounded off the crossbar and away to safety; a moment to freeze the blood of Sir Alex Ferguson. And all of that achieved against a Uunited side with Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher on the field. [LNB]'It looked a big chance,' lamented Crawley manager Steve Evans. [LNB]'The boys thought it was dropping inand I think some of the players thought it was dropping in. We're goingaway disappointed that our Cup run has come to end.[LNB] 'We've come to Manchester United, doneourselves proud and played some football that teams from higher leagueswouldn't attempt. I've just had 45 minutes with Sir Alex and he wasvery encouraging, but we go away knowing we're unfortunate to go out.' [LNB] [LNB] So close: Keeper Anders Lindeggaard watches as Richard Brodie's (out of shot) header hits the cross bar [LNB]While Ferguson was generous to hisvisitors he did not extend the same courtesy to his own players, whohad woefully underperformed and demonstrated why the majority of themare not considered good enough for this club. [LNB]Ferguson acknowledged that his reserves had not done themselves justice. [LNB]'No doubt about that,' he agreed.'Crawley deserved a draw in the second half, you know, for the effortthey put in and the commitment. They made it very difficult for us andwe were second to every ball.[LNB] 'It's disappointing. There weresome players who maybe don't understand what FA Cup football is likeand maybe that's the biggest lesson for them.' [LNB] Brave: Wes Brown puts his body and head on the line to block an overhead kick from Crawley's Matt Tubbs[LNB]Indeed, for Bebe, the most curious?7million transfer of our time and a man who looks as though he mightbe more at home in the Blue Square Bet Premier every week, it was anawful afternoon; likewise for Gabriel Obertan, all pace and no guile. [LNB][LNB]Not so for valiant men like Crawley full-back David Hunt, who grabbed the most precious prize of all, Rooney's shirt. [LNB]Grinning like a man who had won theCup himself, he posed with fans, taking pictures of himself on a mobilephone. Heartwarming stuff, though this was not a conventional tale ofnon-league underdogs coming to town to play one of the world's greatestfootball clubs. [LNB]Indeed, the Cup cliches weredifficult to stomach from a club bankrolled by an Asian benefactor withfunds of unknown provenance, Crawley having refused to identify thesource of their wealth; and from a manager, Evans, who has served twolengthy touchline bans for improper conduct and who received asuspended prison sentence for a tax evasion fraud when boss of BostonUnited. [LNB] On the town: Crawley fans in the stands at Old Trafford[LNB]In such circumstances we took the romance where we could find it. A little girl among the Crawley fans held up a homemade banner reading 'Come on Daddy!' - it was hard not to be moved by the occasion. [LNB]Equally, when Ben Smith, a terrier- like midfielder, unleashed a volley from 20 yards on 10 minutes there was a frisson of genuine excitement.[LNB] It flew two yards high and wide but had Lindegaard scrambling in the United goal and raised a huge roar from the 9,000 Crawley fans present. [LNB]However wealthy this club are in relative terms, their task was an extraordinary one and they acquitted themselves with distinction. [LNB]Hunt and his defensive colleagues, Pablo Mills, Kyle McFadzean and David Howell, were the first-half heroes. [LNB]They kept United at bay with a series of blocks, tackles and headers, other than at the 28th-minute corner when Darron Gibson played a one-two with Obertan and swung in a cross which Wes Brown headed in. [LNB]Gibson then released Fabio on 33 minutes with a glorious pass but the Brazilian left back mis-hit his finish and Obertan enjoyed a rare good moment, cutting inside his man on 38 minutes and forcing a sharp save from keeper Michel Kuipers.[LNB]It was to prove United's last shot on goal.[LNB] Committed: Manchester United's Gabriel Obertan (left) is challenged by Crawley Town's Kyle McFadzean[LNB] [LNB]Crawley emerged from the tunnel forthe second half to see Rooney stripped for action. They need not haveworried; his sole contribution came in bundling over McFadzean for ayellow card. [LNB]Instead, Crawley dominated, their fans roaring 'Oles' as they passed the ball around their opponents. [LNB]The surging runs of Sergio Torres brought similar fervour. [LNB]Just past the hour, Crawley deployedBrodie as a second striker. He provided the first scare for on 72minutes with a cross for Hunt, who hooked his shot wide. Then an evenbetter chance came with Ben Smith nodding the ball into the six-yardbox, where Matt Tubbs tried a spectacular overhead, just as Rooney hadexecuted one the week before. [LNB]Tubbs' effort brushed Brown on its way over the bar. Brodie was to go closer still, but that crossbar denied Crawley. [LNB] The Crawley story: administration to resurgence and now Old TraffordFergie to gamble on kids in historic cup clash against minnows Crawley Don't write off Crawley... the little guys can scare Manchester United All the latest Manchester United FC news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Darren Fletcher, Gabriel Obertan, Wayne Rooney, Bebe, Wes Brown, David Howell, Michael Carrick
