‘We need to be more brave’ – Corey Addai makes honest Crawley Town assessment after Gillingham loss

That’s the view of goalkeeper Corey Addai following the Reds’ 1-0 defeat at second-from-bottom Gillingham.

Shaun Williams’ second half winner reduced the gap in the table between the Gills and Crawley to just one point.

The Reds are now level on 25 points with third-from-bottom Hartlepool United, after their win at Doncaster Rovers, although Crawley have three games in hand over Pools.

Addai said: “It was a game of two halves. In the first half I thought we were really good in possession. I thought we built out from the back well, we were stringing passes together, and playing excellent stuff that was really good. And then in the second half we conceded early, and it was an uphill climb from there.

“I just think we need to be more brave. We said it in the dressing room, we need to be more brave and keep doing the things that we are good at. [We need to] pass the ball, keep moving it, and keep doing the things that we speak about in training instead of trying to change up the game because we’ve gone a goal down.

“We need to trust the process really. I think that’s the biggest message from today’s game – trust the process and what we’re doing – because we can do it.

“We created three or four chances where I’m here in goal thinking, that’s 1-0, 2-0, 3-0. I’m thinking they’re goals.

“Obviously the goals will come. I really do believe in the boys, and I really do believe we will get goals. With people like Dom [Telford], people know that he’s a sharp-shooter. He will score.

“We just need to trust in what we’re doing, and results will come our way.”

Addai said that conceding so early in the second half forced the Reds to drastically alter their style of play. The 25-year-old admitted that the change in style didn’t suit Crawley, and severely impeded the impact of striker Telford.

He continued: “We’ve come out with a gameplan for the second half, to continue doing what we’re doing, and then we concede an early goal. I don’t know what the official time was, but you think, we’ve got 45 minutes to score now. We need to keep moving and keep playing. I think if we do that, we have way more of a chance of coming back into the game.

“No disrespect to Dom, but he’s not a target man. We’re kicking the ball up there and it’s difficult for him. He’s not someone that’s six-foot-plus and is going to help us win headers, he wants the ball on the floor.

“We have to look at that, and I think we will do in training. That’s the type of stuff we do everyday.”

Addai pulled off two stunning saves in the second half. Former Red Devil Tom Nichols saw his volleyed effort brilliantly kept out by the 25-year-old, but Williams reacted quickest to finish from close-range.

The ex-Coventry City and Barnsley keeper then made another superb stop to prevent Gillingham from doubling their lead. Nichols barrelled into the Crawley box and fired towards the bottom corner, but Addai produced a fine fingertip save to tip the striker’s shot wide.

Reflecting on his performance, Addai said: “As the gaffer [Scott Lindsey] said last week, that’s my job. I’ve got to keep the ball out. I try my best but I have to make sure that I keep the goals down to a minimum.”