Curle slams 'childish' defending from Cobblers in dreadful Crawley defeat

The first three goals all stemmed from throw-ins with Nathan Ferguson blasting home in the first-half before Bez Lubala, Ollie Palmer and Mason Bloomfield benefited from poor defending in the second.

The defeat is Town's worst of the season by some distance and Curle was predictably forthright about his side afterwards, particularly taking issue with their defending.

"I think 'desperately poor' is being quite mild," said Curle. "We just didn't switch on.

"The first three goals all come from three throw-ins and it's basic defending - stay in your slots, defend in your slots, defend people infront of you and defend as a unit.

"But we looked fragmented from simple movements at throw-ins. Yes, teams will have movements in the final third but if you can't stop those movements, you stay in your slot and you don't let teams play through you or behind you.

"First goal is disappointing because it's scored from a very tight angle; the kid just walks through and has a shot for the second; our distances are completely wrong all over the park for the third goal.

"We didn't keep play in front of us and you can't have one ball that splits you, and then the fourth goal is childish defending."