Mo Harkin and his Crawley team-mates have backed the appointment of new manager Francis Vines.

Vines was given the job alongside assistant Victor Bettinelli on Monday after seven wins in ten games since taking over from Billy Smith as caretaker manager.

His tenure as permanent boss began with a hard fought draw against Sussex rivals Hastings United in the premier division last night Harkin said: "Everyone of us is delighted that they (Vines and Bettinelli) are staying.

"It has given all the players a bit of a boost because we know them and have been getting results lately. I think it was the right thing to do because it was a case of if it isn't broken don't fix it."

Harkin gave Vines the best start to his managerial career when he put Crawley in front after just two minutes.

He said: "When I scored I thought we were going to go on and score more. But when you score that early in the game the other team have the whole match to get back into it so it is always difficult."

Despite Crawley dominating most of the first half Hastings got back into the match on 32 minutes through a header by Landry Zahana-Oni.

It was a precious point for United who have found themselves in relegation trouble after a run of just one win in the last 14 league games.

Bettinelli admitted it was not the start the new managerial team wanted. "It was very scrappy and we had so many chances to win the game it was unreal. But they scrapped out a draw and stopped us playing football.

"It was a disappointing result but it is not as if we are new. It is just a case of us carrying on the good work we have already started."

The visitors were surprisingly unchanged from the team that drew with Bath on Saturday with manager George Wakeling choosing to leave Duncan McArthur on the bench.

The former Albion midfielder was available again after a one-match ban, the 16th game he had missed through suspension this season.

Vines was forced into two changes from the side that had beaten Cambridge City. Kevin Hemsley came in for suspended Ernie Cooksey and Neil Le Bihan replaced captain Peter Fear who pulled out before kick-off through illness.

The change was a welcome tonic for Crawley, however, as it was from Le Bihan's pass that Reds took an early lead.

The former Tottenham apprentice played a pinpoint ball to Harkin who superbly sidefooted a volley into the bottom corner.

Harkin could have had a second moments later with a great turn and shot which was bravely headed clear by Stuart Playford.

The home side carved out another chance on 25 minutes when Nigel Brake's cross from the left flank was met with a towering header by Warren Bagnall which was saved at full length by visiting keeper Dave King.

United levelled just two minutes later, however, when Zahana-Oni's header from a Danny Simmonds free-kick looped over a hapless Little.

Crawley almost responded immediately when they hit the crossbar twice in less than a minute. First from Le Bihan's long range effort from the right which bounced out for Harkin who tried a curler from the opposite flank which again came off the woodwork.

Bagnall was replaced by Danny Hockton on the stroke of half time after the Reds striker took a blow to his face.

There was some concern for former Lewes man as he left the field and an ambulance had to be called during the break to take him to hospital.

The home side had appeals for a penalty turned down ten minutes after the restart when Harkin went down in the box but the shouts of the home supporters were ignored by the referee.

Zahana-Oni was lucky to stay on the pitch just after the hour mark when he clashed with Stewart Holmes and seemed to kick the Crawley defender in the head as they lay on the ground. But the referee did not see the incident and booked Holmes for the original foul.

The decision angered the home supporters and when Nic McDonnell went down in an off the ball clash with Flanagan two minutes later, the game threatened to boil over.

Hockton almost regained the lead for Reds on 72 minutes with a flying header from Le Bihan's free-kick which was brilliantly pushed round the post by King.

Four minutes later, Brake was presented with a glorious chance when King parried a shot from Hockton into his path but with the goal at his mercy, the Reds winger blasted high over the bar from five yards.

The visitors almost snatched the win with an identical opportunity ten minutes from time, Zahana-Oni firing over from close range after good work by substitute Ellis Remy.

Vines brought himself on in stoppage time for Holmes and almost made an immediate impact with a header from Hockton's corner which was cleared off the line by Nick Hegley.