Despite losing the game 5-0, Redbridge were not embarrassed on the day and gave their all with the game only slipping them by in the final quarter of the game after Vinnie Durrant’s sending-off which led to Crawley’s third goal from the spot which their star striker Matt Tubbs converted to seal his hat-trick.

With an army of 264 travelling supporters made up of loyal fans, new ones and many of the players’ friends and families inside the Broadfield Stadium, Redbridge’s players and management didn’t need any more motivation for what is probably the biggest games of their careers to date.

After a moving minute of applause for the late Gary Speed, the action got underway and Crawley dominated from the off with Tubbs having an early effort go wide before their captain Josh Simpson fired a shot wide from Andy Drury’s corner.

Crawley were knocking on the door of the Motormen’s goal and should have gone ahead on eight minutes when Tyrone Barnett failed to get a touch onto a cross by Tubbs that fizzed into the six-yard box. Not long after Simpson volleyed narrowly wide from 20 yards before Kyle McFadzean headed narrowly wide from a inswinging Drury corner.

Despite the gutsy efforts of Redbridge’s midfielders they were not seeing much of the ball up front with James Robinson and Joe Gardner - who surprisingly started the game in place of Ryan Murray who appeared to pick up a small knock warming up an hour before the game – having to pick up on scraps on their own.

Robinson was looking bright and after seeing a goal-bound effort on the turn blocked by McFadzean headed a tough chance over after good work by Ben Bradbury and Nathan Gordon. Crawley on their next attack went close to scoring when David Hunt’s shot was deflected wide by Jamie Haywood with the ball going narrowly over the post.

Hunt was in the thick of the action moments later and on 30 minutes a good pass by the defender sent McFadzean into the area whose short burst of speed proved too good for Dan Trenkel whose challenge brought the centre-half down. Crawley’s star striker Tubbs stepped up slotting the penalty to the right of Adam Rafis who despite guessing the right was unable to stop the ball going in.

Sadly for the Motormen, a moment of magic from Tubbs doubled Crawley’s lead five minutes later. The striker controlled a header from his strike partner Barnett with his chest before drilling a superb left-footed shot into the top corner which gave Rafis no chance. It was a superb goal and showed just why the former Salisbury forward is one of the sough after strikers in the football league.

Tubbs almost had a first-half hat-trick but failed to keep down a header from a Dean Howell cross before Rafis held onto a powerful strike from a Drury shot from 25 yards. Redbridge to their credit threatened just before the break but Gordon couldn’t quite poke home a Bradbury cross to the far post.

HT Crawley 2 Redbridge 0

Crawley were intent on getting the game wrapped up as soon as possible but Rafis was not letting them have their own way and made two excellent saves inside the first five minutes after the restart from Tubbs and Sergio Torres to keep Redbridge in the game.

The keeper’s saves would have been even more important had Redbridge taken the two chances that came their way shortly before and after the hour. First Gardner dispossessed Howell 30 yards from goal but after breaking into the area and getting the ball past Scott Shearer could only drag on effort on the turn wide. Soon after Robinson saw a shot deflected wide with only Shearer to beat after a dreadful pass by Howell across his own back-line fell straight into the striker’s path.

It was to be the last involvement of the game for Robinson who before the resulting corner was taken was brought off for Murray. The big striker did well to win some headers but unluckily Redbridge were unable to hold onto the ball long enough to mount more attacks on Crawley’s goal as the hosts quickly regained their grip of the game.

With Redbridge beginning to tire the gaps were opening up for Crawley and shortly after Matt Turpin was booked for a last-ditch challenge on Tubbs, the striker completed his hat-trick from the spot sending Rafis the wrong way for his 13th goal of the season after Durrant felled Barnett in the box.

Now down to 10 men after the left-back’s depature, Crawley were ruthless scoring two goals late on through Drury who volleyed home inside the area and then McFadzean who struck a powerful shot from distance past Rafis.

In the end though despite the disappointment of exiting the FA Cup, Rebdridge’s players and management could hold their heads high and they rightfully made their way to their travelling supporters who along with a large section of Crawley supporters applauded them off the pitch.

At the end of the day it had been some journey for the Motormen and after 8 games and 13 goals in this season’s FA Cup, they can hold their heads high and look fondly back on what had been a marvellous run for them. Now it’s back to the League where Terry Spillane will want his side to knuckle down and climb up the table.

Redbridge: Adam Rafis, Jamie Haywood, Vinnie Durrant, Matt Turpin, Glen Golby, Dan Trenkel, Ben Bradbury (Stuart Hepburn 82), Lewis Dark (Daniel Hopkins 79), James Robinson (Ryan Murray 66), Nathan Gordon, Joe Gardner.

Click here for Adam D's interview with our manager Terry Spillane from after the game.

Click here for Adam D's interview with Jamie Haywood from after the game.