'We're in the driving seat' - Crawley Town boss hopeful his side are in the relegation fight driving seat

Reds dropped into the relegation zone last weekend for the first time under their new manager Scott Lindsey. Despite Hartlepool United leapfrogging the Reds by one point, Crawley have four games in hand on the Pools.

“If you look at the bottom four, we are probably in the best position out of them,” said Lindsey. “It might not look like that at the moment but, with those games in hand, we’re in the driving seat more so than the others.

“So it’s down to us to do the work, and get the points on the board.”

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Crawley sit on 26 points in 23rd whilst Hartlepool in 22nd are on 27 and Gillingham on 30 points in 21st. Rochdale meanwhile, are five points behind Crawley having played four more games.

“You would always want the games done and have the points,” added Lindsey. “But that isn’t the case and we’ve got games to play. We’ve just got to take advantage of them.”

Two games still face Crawley in February but in March, the Red Devils are set to play seven fixtures. Within that bundle, Lindsey will prepare for two crucial ties against relegation rivals, Rochdale and Harrogate Town.

Despite the bundle of tests however, Lindsey said, “When you look at the run if games, we’re in the middle of now. Stockport away, Leyton Orient away, Carlisle at home, all of them are no easy task.

“But when you look at the March games, there are some real winnable games there. Games that we’ve got to pick up points in.”

Crawley haven’t finished in the bottom six of League Two since 2019. For several senior players such as Ashley Nadesan, fighting a relegation battle with the Reds isn’t a common theme.

“We need more leaders on the pitch,” said Nadesan. “It’s the first time I’ve been involved in something like this but hopefully it brings something different in me.

“I want to help as much as a I can on and off the pitch, but the main objective is just to get those three points on Saturday.”

Crawley will host Carlisle United this weekend where Nadesan will hope he can add to his ten goal contributions already this league season.