Scott Lindsey delighted Crawley fans love match winner Harry McKirdy

Manager Scott Lindsey admitted he always felt Harry McKirdy would be loved by Crawley fans after the former Swindon striker’s second-half double gave them their first home win of the season, a 2-0 League Two victory over Cheltenham.

McKirdy was forced to play out of position on the right wing due to injuries early in the season but has now scored four goals and Lindsey backed him to do well after a spell at Bromley last season.

He said: “Harry filled a gap at the start of the season but supporters are now seeing the best of him.

“Harry will score goals, especially if he’s in a team that will feed him like us. He took his goals really well and I knew our fans would love him.”

Crawley are now unbeaten in their last three games – winning the last two with successive clean sheets – and Lindsey hoped his side could press on after a tough beginning to the campaign.

He added: “We are on the march after a slow start to the season.

“I’m proud of my players, we are looking stronger and stronger each game.

“We are a new team and it takes time with new players. But we are in front of where we should be and are capable of doing well this season.”

Cheltenham lived dangerously shortly after the interval when Kabongo Tshimanga broke through but his cross just eluded McKirdy in the six-yard box.

McKirdy broke the deadlock after 68 minutes when Dion Pereira’s fine pass picked him out and he gave goalkeeper Joe Day no chance with a low shot into the bottom corner.

Former Swindon striker McKirdy settled the issue five minutes from time from the penalty spot after Freddy Willcox was penalised for pushing Ade Adeyemo.

Cheltenham manager Michael Flynn appealed to fans to stick together after they slumped to the bottom of the table with a sixth defeat in eight league games.

He said: “It’s not been good enough today but my message would be ‘just stick together’.

“I get it from the fans – I see why they are frustrated. I know we’ll turn the corner and see what we’re made of if we just stick together.”

Flynn felt Willcox was harshly penalised for the push on Adeyemo that led to McKirdy scoring his second from the spot, but added: “It wouldn’t have made any difference.”

“We were very poor, second half. Very stuttering, no end product, looked disjointed and lacking in craft and didn’t deserve anything.

“We looked flat. Crawley had more energy and played some good football.

“I picked the team I wanted to pick after a win, I wanted to give them a run.”