Match report: Crawley Town 1 Grays Athletic 3

Vines' job appears to be hanging by a thread following a home defeat against Grays.

It leaves Reds bottom of the Conference with one win from their first ten games.

Assistant boss Dave Swindlehurst was sacked last week and the axe could fall on Vines if Crawley fail to take points against Kidderminster at the Broadfield Stadium tomorrow.

But Wormull says the under-pressure boss is not at fault.

Wormull gave Reds the perfect start against Grays when he curled a free-kick into the top corner on 12 minutes.

The Crawley players celebrated by running to the bench to show solidarity for Vines.

The individual mistakes which have plagued Reds this season then resurfaced again to hand Grays the points.

Wormull said: "Everyone is 110 per cent behind Frank. There is not one person at the club who wants him out.

"Once the game starts he cannot do anything about it.

"He puts the 11 players on the pitch who he thinks can do a job and at the moment we are giving too many sloppy goals away.

"Because we are bottom of the league it looks bad on him (Vines) but we are the players so we have to take the blame.

"Tactically, we did everything right against Grays but the mistakes at both ends of the pitch cost us."

There is no doubt Vines has the support of the players but it is whether club owners, the SA Group, feel the same that really matters.

They have shelled out big money to make the club full-time and facilitate the signings of ten players. and will not want to wait long for a return on their investment.

The board showed faith in Vines in the summer by handing him a three-year contract but the sacking of Swindlehurst suggests they are losing patience.

The former Crystal Palace striker, who has already found employment as No.2 at Carshalton, was instrumental in Reds' success over the last two seasons with his vast experience and no-nonsense approach.

But he was cast adrift with just a thanks and good luck message for reasons that no one at the club are prepared to reveal.

It gives supporters the impression something is being done to try and stop the slide and acts as a warning to the boss that he could be next.

Vines says he does not know how long he has got to turn things round but admits to feeling more pressure.

He said: "I've always been under pressure. There was pressure in the Dr Martens League and you put yourself under pressure because you want to win every game.

"Yes, there maybe more pressure because we are not winning games but that is how it goes when you are at the bottom of the table."

If the SA Group are contemplating giving Vines the chop, they should first take a look his track record before making any hasty decisions.

He is the most successful manager in the club's history and led them to their highest ever position last season.

That alone should make sure he has at least until Christmas to get things right.

There are also other factors to consider like the time it takes a club to get used to full-time training, for new signings to gel and the fact seven of Crawley's ten games have been against teams in the top nine of the table.

The mounting pressure on the boss is rubbing off on the players and causing them to make silly mistakes.

Steve Burton and Jame Cade missed golden chances to double the lead for Reds before a blunder by goalkeeper Phil Smith helped Grays equalise.

Smith, who was as solid as a rock last season, cost Crawley goals against Accrington and Forest Green and did it again when he fumbled a cross to the feet of Gary Hooper, who squared for Jamie Slabber to slot into an empty net.

The home defence could also have done better to stop Dennis Oli giving Grays the points they needed to go top in the second half.

He broke clear of a static back four to side-foot under Smith on 75 minutes and then finished confidently from eight yards in the last minute after out-pacing Dave Woozley in a race for a long ball over the top.

The harsh reality is that the bucks stops with Vines. For how much longer remains to be seen.