Crawley boost survival hopes

Crawley boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a comfortable 2-0 home victory over fellow strugglers Notts County.

Notts, beaten for the first time under new manager Ricardo Moniz, conceded both the goals from set pieces inside the first 16 minutes to remain in the bottom four. Crawley, hammered 5-0 at Walsall in midweek, made the perfect start when former Charlton defender Kelly Youga gave them the lead after only 14 minutes on his home debut. Youga, back in England following a spell in China, struck with an over-head kick following the hosts' first corner by Anthony Wordsworth. Fit-again defender Darren Ward doubled the home side's advantage two minutes later from close in after Wordsworth had delivered a clever left-footed free-kick. Notts top scorer Garry Thompson went close to replying in the 23rd minute when his goal-bound header was smartly turned over the crossbar by Danish goalkeeper Brian Jensen. Jensen again did well to save a powerful left-footed shot from Gary Jones just before the break. Crawley's leading marksman Izale McLeod should have hit the target when heading over with the goal at his mercy following Mathias Pogba's cross 11 minutes after the interval. Notts goalkeeper Roy Carroll later denied McLeod in a one-on-one situation before substitute Dean Morgan blazed the loose ball over.