The tough get going to cheer Drummy
CRAWLEY boss Dermot Drummy saluted his side’s mentality as they held on for a battling point at Doncaster.
The Red Devils took the lead through James Collins – his first goal for the club – only for James Coppinger to earn winless Donny a point.
But, despite failing to hold on for the victory, Drummy was pleased with his players’ toughness.
“Teams will come to Doncaster and have a tough time, but I thought we defended admirably,” he said.
“We got done on the corner, but other than that credit to the boys in terms of hanging in there and getting a great away point.
“We had some quality combination plays to get in behind them.
“They then changed it and that stifled us a bit.
“We’ve had a tough week and energy levels dipped a bit, but you can’t buy the mentality we have. I’m proud of the boys.
“James Collins got our goal and he works hard for the team.
“If he gets one chance he’ll score.”
Chances were few and far between early on, but it was Crawley who looked the more threatening and they duly went ahead on 26 minutes.
Jason Banton galloped down the left wing and hit a cross-shot which home keeper Ross Etheridge spilled straight into the path of Collins, who bundled home from a yard out.
Banton again displayed his raw speed when leading a counterattack, only to see his shot deflected behind.
Rovers came out after the break with plenty of intent and were level within five minutes.
Veteran Coppinger connected with Matty Blair’s corner and smashed his shot beyond Yusuf Mersin in the Crawley goal.
Rovers went closer to winning it late on, but Coppinger’s free-kick was parried away before Andy Williams had a halfvolley go wide.
Rovers boss Daren Ferguson said: "The way we started was poor.
“We had opportunities, especially at the end, to win
it. “It was a difficult one to describe really.
“It was lacking real energy and tempo, which isn’t like a team of mine. The energy was nowhere near the level I want.
“The players have to understand it’s about winning.
“The second half was a lot better, but we needed to do it all game, which we didn’t.
“We didn't start particularly well and there were too many people doing the basics wrong.
“We know it’s going to be a tough league and we have to handle the expectations as a club.”