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Oli Hits the Winner for Grays vs John Hollins' Crawley
Grays Ath 1-0 Crawley
Dennis Oli was the hero for Grays as he came off the bench to grab the only goal of the game against Crawley.
Michael Kightly went close for the hosts early on but saw his well-struck volley and header go wide of the goal.
A double substitution at half-time paid dividends for Grays with Jamie Slabber and Brett Johnson being replaced by Oli and Cam Mawer.
And Oli was immediately in the thick of things as he collected a Kightly pass to rifle home the winner on 69 minutes.
Grays Athletic: Bayes, Sambrook, Hanson, Johnson (Mawer 45), Nutter, Kightly, Thurgood, Williamson, Martin (Poole 78), Slabber (Oli 45), McLean.Subs Not Used: Eyre, Battersby.
Booked: McLean. Goals: Oli 70.
Crawley Town: Smith, Simpemba (Wormull 84), Mendy, Woozley, Judge, Armstrong, Blackburn (Ekoku 77), Jenkins (Coleman 77), Opinel, Scully, Clare.Subs Not Used: Ward, Giles.
Att: 1,038. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/4680692.stm
John Hollins -Hollins backs Crawley to stay up
February 14, 2006
Crawley Town boss John Hollins insists he will keep them in the Conference.
The Red Devils are bottom of the table after winning just five games in a season that has been dogged by difficulties since day one.
Hollins has found it tough to turn the tide since his appointment at the end of November but is adamant that relegation will be avoided.
"We will do stay up. With 16 games to go we will be all right," Hollins told BBC Sport.
Hollins added: "I did not come here to mess about. I came here to do a job. I'm positive.
"It's not easy. If we were top of the league it would be a doddle, although even that has its difficulties. It's easy to fall off. Look at Chelsea, they are only 12 points clear now!"
The task of trying to revive Crawley's fortunes is a far cry from Hollins's days as a player and manager at Stamford Bridge.
New owners with new money and fresh ideas did arrive at Crawley last year but their investment is yet to pay off.
The club's form nose-dived in the final third of last season - their first at Conference level - and Crawley were about to kick-off in August when the team suddenly switched to full-time status.
"Results showed at the end of last season that things were not right," said Hollins.
"Going full-time was a brave step and a good step by the owners, who have put their money where their mouth is.
"But having been a part-time team - and you would find this with most teams, not just us - the change-over is not easy, especially if it's done prior to the first game.
"All of a sudden you are bringing a lot of players in and panicking because you haven't got enough, because that's what professional teams have a decent squad.
"You have to have a pre-season and I don't think we had that. The fitness levels were down and we have been trying to get everyone fit and playing the right way through matches and trial and error."
Hollins, who was appointed following the sacking of Francis Vines, has so far guided Crawley to just one Conference victory.
And supporters vented their anger at the club's current plight following a home defeat in the FA Trophy by Boreham Wood earlier this month.
To his credit, Hollins fronted up to the fans and plans to be at the Broadfield Stadium for the long-term.
He added: "It's not easy at times and supporters get frustrated. I understand that.
"Everything comes around to if we have got enough (about us) to do what we want to do. We are instilling the belief that we can do it.
"We are still trying to get players to come in and help us through this situation.
"We keep working hard trying to install systems and structures and work to budgets, which is all difficult. They are problems, but problems can be solved.
"We are looking at ourselves and the players have to look at themselves. We have all had to pull together since 6 August, nothing has changed."
What must change is Crawley's current form, although Hollins was buoyed by his side's performance in losing by a single goal at Grays Athletic last Saturday.
The recent fixture list has not been kind but Crawley now face a number of games against sides in the bottom half of the table.
"They are ones we've got to win," said Hollins.
"We have been losing by the odd goal and people have been saying we're the best team they have played.
"I want us to be the worst team and win 1-0, even though we want to play the right way." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/4712712.stm
Alan Mullery Leaves Crawley - Mullery ends his stint at Crawley
Feb 8, 2006
Alan Mullery has severed his links with Conference strugglers Crawley.
The former England international joined the Red Devils in a consultancy capacity last September but says his services are no longer required.
"My brief when I came in was to help the club become more professional and I think I have done that," Mullery said.
"If they want to ask me anything they can ring me up at any time but otherwise I'll let them get on with it," Mullery told the Brighton Argus.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/4692860.stm
Meanwhile at Aldershot, ex-QPR players: Hamilton, Bull, Griffiths
Aldershot 1-1 Burton Albion
Aaron Webster converted Kris Taylor's right-wing cross to put Burton ahead before Aldershot won a penalty after Darren Tinson handled inside the box.
Saul Deeney saved Dixon's strike but could not prevent the striker from converting the rebound.
Deeney also saved from Dixon prior to the equaliser and Nick Crittenden later on, while Nikki Bull made a superb late save from Shaun Harrad's header.
Aldershot: Bull, Somner, Brough, Heald, Hamilton, Crittenden, Watson, Holloway, Williams (Sulaiman 81), Dixon, Griffiths.Subs Not Used: Weait, Scott, Hudson, Elphick.
Booked: Holloway.
Goals: Dixon 45. Burton Albion: Deeney, Corbett, Tinson, Austin, Webster, Chris Hall, Kris Taylor, Rowett (Henshaw 83), Gilroy (Ducros 61), Shaw, Harrad (Christian Moore 86).Subs Not Used: Martin Taylor, Clough. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/4703920.stm
See Aldershot squad
http://www.theshots.co.uk/SquadDisplay.ink
And at Dagenham, Roberts and Bruce
Dag & Red 2-2 Stevenage
Dagenham and Stevenage shared four goals in 20 first-half minutes but were unable to find a winner between them.
Borough went ahead straight away when Adam Miller found Jon Nurse who made no mistake from close range.
Dino Maamria made it 2-0 from the penalty spot but Daggers pulled one back when Tim Cole crashed the ball in.
Sam Saunders levelled when he found the net with a superb long-range free-kick. He hit the bar in the second-half before the game petered out to a draw.
Dag & Red: Roberts, Blackett, Cole, Uddin, Saunders, Southam, Foster, Bruce, Griffiths, Moore, Mackail-Smith (Akurang 68).Subs Not Used: Hogan, Vickers, Johnson, Lettejallon.
Booked: Roberts, Southam, Bruce.
Goals: Cole 11, Saunders 17.
Stevenage: Julian, Henry, Warner, Quinn, Perpetuini (Gregory 79), Miller, Maamria, Bulman, Boyd, Nurse (Obinna 45), Louis (Berquez 72).Subs Not Used: Goodliffe, Hocking.
Booked: Perpetuini, Bulman, Maamria.
Goals: Nurse 1, Maamria 6 pen. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/4703946.stm
'Dagenham Squad
http://www.daggers.co.uk/maindex.cfm?section=players&page=players