Tom Hopper’s Brace Leads 10-Man Colchester to Victory Over Crawley

Colchester United pulled off a stunning 3-2 victory against Crawley Town, with Tom Hopper stealing the show by scoring twice in a thrilling encounter.

The game started with Crawley midfielder Liam Kelly hitting the top of the bar before Colchester took the lead through Hopper’s close-range finish off Ellis Iandolo’s cross. However, the Reds quickly equalized with Klaidi Lolos finding the back of the net.

Just when it seemed like the teams would go into halftime level, Colchester regained the lead as Jay Mingi set up Cameron McGeehan for an easy tap-in after goalkeeper Corey Addai’s mistake.

The second half saw Hopper extend Colchester’s lead with a clinical finish, making it 3-1 in favor of the visitors. Despite a late surge from Crawley, including Harry Forster’s header in added time, Colchester managed to hold on for a crucial win.

The match took a dramatic turn towards the end when Colchester were reduced to 10 men after Samson Tovide received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident.

With this victory, Colchester moved out of the relegation zone, climbing one point above Sutton. The win was even more impressive considering the passionate appeal made by manager Danny Cowley for increased support, which was duly answered by nearly 1,000 traveling fans.

Overall, it was a thrilling and hard-fought contest that showcased Colchester’s resilience and determination to secure three valuable points on the road.