Crawley boss condemns boos but admits ‘worst performance since I’ve been here’

Scott Lindsey hit out at the Crawley boo-boys after a late goal from substitute Kelly N’Mai sentenced the Red Devils to a 1-0 home defeat against struggling Salford.

Lindsey, taking charge of the team for the 50th time in Sky Bet League Two, admitted it was the worst performance under him but was left dismayed by the reaction of a section of supporters.

He said:” We let ourselves down today but I don’t want to hear my team booed.

“This time last year we were third from bottom and fighting for our lives. People need to remember we went into the game level on points with the play-off positions.

“I’m a bit disappointed with the booing; it doesn’t help and the players don’t want to hear it.”

Lindsey said his team would have lost “seven or eight nil” but for the performance of his goalkeeper Corey Addai and confessed he “didn’t see the performance coming.”

The former Swindon boss added:” Salford had 35 shots, 12 on target, and it was the worst performance since I’ve been here.

“We looked lethargic, slow in our build-up, and sloppy. We didn’t look great today. You can become a bad team if you switch off.”

Ryan Giggs was spotted amongst the 95 travelling fans as the Ammies produced their first win in 12 league games, with new head coach Karl Robinson taking charge for the second time.

Former MK Dons and Oxford boss Robinson said he could not understand why it took his men so long to take the lead, with N’Mai’s third goal of the season not coming until 10 minutes from time.

Robinson said: “We had 34 shots before we got that goal, why did it take so long?

“But we’ll take the three points and be happy about it.”

Salford had not won in League Two since a 3-0 win at Doncaster on October 24 and this success lifts them eight points above the drop zone.

Robinson added: “Clearly we’ve got to do a lot of improving. It’s my responsibility and I will make sure everybody steps up, we’ve got to tighten up.

“And that includes the staff. We’ve all got to do better, that is what the football club is all about.

“It is an awareness of what the club s supposed to be doing. But it is a start and we need to go on from here.”