Crawley’s first friendly of the season ended in style with a 36–5 victory over Lordswood, a performance that showed both the hard work put in over the summer and the promise of what’s to come.
The coaches had asked for a new approach heading into this campaign, and from the opening whistle, the squad delivered. Structure, intensity, and smart decision-making were clear to see, with Crawley controlling possession and territory throughout. Early pressure soon turned into points on the board, while the defensive line held firm, restricting Lordswood to just a single try.
The result was more than just a win — it was evidence that Crawley’s evolving style of play is beginning to click.

“We’ve made some changes this season to the way we want to play,” said head coach Ollie Plunkett after the match. “Throughout pre-season we’ve hammered home a new attacking system, and this game was the first real chance to put it into practice. We’ve also shifted our mindset from being result-focused to performance-focused. If we hit our performance targets, the results will look after themselves. Today was a great example of that.”
Plunkett also praised the squad’s resilience, especially in testing conditions.

“To perform at that level in the heat and dominate for 78 minutes without conceding again was really pleasing. We’ve set a benchmark now. The challenge is to keep that standard or raise it every week.”

The scoreline of 36–5 was a fair reflection of Crawley’s control, but what mattered most was how the team played: organised in attack, disciplined in defence, and full of energy across the pitch.

This was just the first step in pre-season, but it laid down a marker. The hard work is paying off — and if this performance is anything to go by, Crawley head into the new season with confidence and momentum.