Crowborough Athletic's Alderbrook ground is one of the more modest venues on the Sussex non-league circuit.

But Crawley boss Billy Smith and his players are quite happy to be heading there on Tuesday night for their first game in this season's Floodlight Cup.

Most of the senior non-league teams in the county have given the competition a wide berth in recent seasons because it adds to an already crowded fixture list.

But when you haven't got a proper training ground then even games against County League third division opposition are worthwhile exercises.

Micky Adams isn't the only manager in the county with an axe to grind about training facilities. Crawley might have one of the best grounds in non-league football, but they can't find Smith and his players somewhere decent to train.

The Broadfield Stadium pitch is out of bounds and, with the dark nights drawing in, the council ground next to the stadium which Crawley were using during pre-season is no use now.

Last week the players made use of the weights and swimming pool at a local health club. Last night it was a circuit in the club's own gym.

"It's not ideal," admitted Smith in that understated way of his.

"Training has been a problem all the time I've been at this club. I'm not running the club down because they have backed me 100 per cent, but if they have got a failing it's been that.

"People would soon be on to me if things weren't going well on the pitch and not having a place to train in midweeks is a problem. If things started going pear-shaped it wouldn't be accepted as an excuse, but it's a fact."

During Smith's two spells in charge Crawley used a pitch at the town's rugby club but that was regularly waterlogged during winter. And one session on the pitch in the middle of the town's athletics track had to be aborted when players began tripping over divots left by shot putts and javelins!

There is no shortage of artificial pitches in the area, there's even one next to Broadfield Stadium. But Smith is loathe to use them regularly because they can aggravate injuries among his more battle-hardened players.

"We may have to look at training somewhere a bit further afield. All I need is a reasonably good-sized area under floodlights, it doesn't have to be a full-sized pitch.

"Games like Tuesday are a good training night for the boys," added Smith. "We will give some of the players who are in the reserves or on the fringe of the sqaud a game.

"Not many of the players will have played there but what we find won't worry them, we haven't got any big-time Charlies."

On the injury front, Smith is resting Keith Sharman for another couple of weeks while he recovers from a knee problem. Steve Sargent suffered bruised ribs in the reserves but he is on the mend while Barrie Westgate is another two weeks away from a return to training following a broken arm.

Reds hit the FA Cup trail next Saturday with a trip to Fareham Town, a side managed by former England star Mark Chamberlain.

"We've had them watched and know it will be another tough game," warned Smith.