Relegation-haunted Crawley face one of their most important matches of the season tonight.

Reds play their game in hand at Gravesend and Northfleet and manager John Hollins has told his players to stand up and be counted.

Victory would move Crawley above Tamworth and out of the Conference drop-zone for the first time in four weeks.

Hollins ordered the players in for extra training on Sunday following Saturday's disappointing 1-0 defeat at Canvey Island.

Now he is urging his players to produce a big response at Stonebridge Road.

He said: "We worked the players on Sunday and gave them a blast to get things out of the system.

"It was no good waiting until Monday because the game is tonight, so we got it done early to get on with it.

"We now have to be up and ready against Gravesend. We have to go to these places and get in their faces.

"It doesn't matter if the changing rooms are bad, the pitch is not very good and there is a strong wind. We have to go out there and perform.

"The players need to be strong and honest. If they play badly then they have to put their hands up, admit it and put it right in the next game.

"We can't be afraid to go out and play. I have told them not to be frightened, express themselves and have a go. If you can shoot from 30 yards and think you might score, then do it."

Hollins says a change of mentality is needed following a string of narrow defeats. Reds have lost 1-0 in four of their last five games and Hollins said: "We have lost four games 1-0 now so no one has given us a good beating. But in some ways I would rather somebody did because then we would know things were wrong and start again.

"Everything has been about nearly this and nearly that and people have talked about bad luck. But it is not all about luck, it is about what you do on the pitch.

"That is where we can change the situation, not by talking about it or reading about it in the paper.

"It is on the pitch where games are won and lost so we need to go out there and do the business."

Reds have been boosted by the news that their former striker Charlie MacDonald will almost certainly miss tonight's game.

MacDonald, who is Gravesend's top scorer this season with 12, has been out for a month with an ankle injury and is not expected to play for another three weeks.

Fleet will have three other ex-Crawley players in their starting line-up. Defender Scott Gooding and Fulham loanee Rob Watkins both had brief spells at the Broadfield Stadium last season and goalkeeper Craig Holloway featured in the 2004 Southern League title winning side.

Midfielder Simon Wormull is still sidelined with a toe injury and will see a specialist this week.

Crawley's trip to Exeter on March 18 will be played at a later date due to the Grecians' involvement in the FA Trophy.