Crawley Town made an encouraging start to their League Two campaign with a hard fought 1-1 draw at Oxford United.

Gwion Edwards gave Reds the lead 11 minutes after half-time when he stooped to head home a low cross from Roarie Deacon.

Oxford hit back nine minutes later when Danny Hylton raced clear of a static Reds defender to fire a low shot past Freddie Woodman.

Reds boss Mark Yates will have been the happier of the two managers with a point with Oxford enjoying more of the ball without really testing Woodman until the closing stages.

For all the build up the first half was a largely forgettable affair with neither side able to carve out any clear opportunities.

Oxford did at least force Freddie Woodman into action as the on-loan Newcastle goalkeeper got down well to keep out a low effort.

The home side enjoyed the lion’s share of possession but were otherwise unable to break down a well-organised Crawley side.

Reds looked comfortable but were unable to cause Oxford any real problems at the back with lone striker Lee Barnard starved of service and support.

Yates was forced into making a change at half-time with Simon Walton replaced by Conor Henderson having sustained a head injury.

The second half was following much the same pattern as the first until Reds took the lead out of the blue in the 56th minute.

Oxford failed to clear their lines properly and when Roarie Deacon clipped a low ball into the six yard area Edwards stooped to nod home from close range.

The lead only lasted nine minutes as Crawley’s defence was caught momentarily napping. Hylton raced on to a ball over the top and fired a low shot past Woodman who was hesitant coming off his line.

Yates brought on Lewis Young and Matt Harrold for Roarie Deacon and Barnard and Harrold almost made an immediate impact.

The striker was put clear by Sonny Bradley’s long ball but a defender got back to clear just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Oxford pushed for a winner in the closing stages but were denied twice by Woodman’s agility and reflexes.

The Reds keeper threw himself to his right to tip a cross-shot from Roofe around the post and from the resulting corner pushed away a powerful header from Johnny Mullins.

Oxford (4-4-2): Slocombe; Baldock, Mullins, Wright, Skarz; Roofe, Rose (Ruffels, 80), Sercombe, MacDonald (O’Dowda, 77); Hylton, Taylor (Hoban, 61). Subs not used: Crocombe, Long, Ashby, Dunkley.

Crawley (4-1-4-1): Woodman; Donnelly, Ashton, McNerney, Bradley; Walton (Henderson, 45); Deacon (Young, 69), Smith, Rooney, Edwards; Barnard 7 (Harrold, 69). Subs not used: Preston, Fenelon, Bawling.

Attendance: 6,349 (299 Crawley)