CITY'S eight-match unbeaten run ended with a poor defeat at Crawley on Saturday.

T&A chief sports writer SIMON PARKER provides the match facts and player ratings from an afternoon to forget in Sussex.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Tough to find one from such a miserable offering but even though Chris Taylor was taken off just before the hour mark, I thought he did at least try to drive forward from an overrun midfield.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

It was what we’d all been waiting for as Eoin Doyle took aim at an inviting goal – only for defender Jamie Sendles-White to deflect his shot wide.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

City were dire all over the pitch but the defending was particularly weak – and out of character – for both Crawley goals.

TACTICS

Eoin Doyle came straight back in as Gary Bowyer switched to 4-4-2. Callum Cooke was a big miss having played well at Swindon but he was struck down by the virus still doing the rounds.

REFEREE: Neil Hair

BOOKINGS: German (Crawley)

ATTENDANCE: 2,361

SHOTS ON TARGET: Crawley 4, City 3

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Crawley 13, City 3

CORNERS: Crawley 8, City 7

FOULS COMMITTED: Crawley 12, City 6

PLAYER RATINGS

CRAWLEY: Morris 6, Dacres-Cogley 7, Tunnicliffe 6, Sendles-White 7, Doherty 6, Bulman 6, Camara 7, Ferguson 7, Lubala 7, Nadesan 7 (Sesay 89min), Palmer 8 (German 85min). Subs (not used): Francomb, Nathaniel-George, Allarakhia, Luyambula.

CITY: O’Donnell 5, Henley 4, A O’Connor 5, Richards-Everton 5, Wood 6, Connolly 5 (McCartan 68min), Palmer 4, Reeves 5 (Oteh 58min, 6), Taylor 6 (Akpan 58min, 6), Doyle 6, Vaughan 6. Subs (not used): P O’Connor, Gibson, Anderson, Sykes-Kenworthy.