Three games in five days is a tough schedule for any team but Crawley are finding strength from somewhere as they drag themselves towards the end of the campaign.

That was in evidence as they drew 1-1 at Kettering tonight.

Where the Reds had looked flat and lifeless against Stevenage on Monday, here they seemed to have renewed energy as they left Kettering’s A-Line Arena feeling a point was the least they deserved.

Steve Evans made four changes from the Bank Holiday defeat to Stevenage and the Crawley manager reckoned his side looked revitalised compared to their showing two days beforehand.

“We had lacked a real spark against Stevenage but we certainly didn’t tonight,” he said.

“We said either we can abandon the season, lose here, lose at Barrow, draw at Grays, or we can play with real pride and passion against what is a big team in non-league terms. I think we were by far the better team, and if we had taken our chances we would have won it.

“We asked the players to grit their teeth and brought in Santos Gaia and Gavin Hurren, who I thought were fantastic. People like (Adam) Quinn, (Chris) Giles and (Dannie) Bulman all had knocks but we asked them to step up and they did that.”

Evans said Kettering manager Mark Cooper had even described Crawley as the best opposition they had faced at home this season and the Reds certainly gave a good account of themselves despite the loss of in-form defender Jake Wright (twisted ankle).

While goalscorer Bulman was the visitors’ best player, the whole team showed a surprising hunger for victory given the play-offs were already beyond them.

Typifying the spirit was Isaiah Rankin, who is rapidly regaining sharpness and whose pace caused the Kettering defence problems all night.

Evans said: “Isaiah ran himself into the ground and showed great awareness. If we can get him properly fit he will be a handful at this level.”

Evans added he wanted to bring in a second goalkeeper, a right back and striker during the close season, and Rankin’s performance would have done his cause no harm.

One area that Crawley do not need to strengthen is central midfield with the tireless Bulman pulling the strings, and it was he who put the Reds ahead after 20 minutes, rifling in Jon Shaw’s cut back from ten yards.

The goal was greeted by virtual silence, as only 19 Crawley fans had made the journey, but was everything the visitors deserved.

It was a rare moment of quality in a scrappy first half, the play being hampered by an uneven pitch, but Reds continued to press into the second half.

Lewis Killeen found the side netting after a strong run and Rob Matthews should have hit the target rather than slicing Giles’ cross over the bar.

Kettering equalised with a goal out of nothing when Jean-Paul Marna latched onto a through ball and beat Simon Rayner at his near post with a scruffy left foot shot.

The hosts began to dominate but it was Crawley who still had the best chances to snatch victory. Rankin and Matthews both narrowly failed to poke home Jon Shaw’s cross, before Kettering keeper Lee Harper almost spilled a harmless shot from Gavin Hurren into his own net.

Kettering: Harper, Eaden, Branston, Dempster, A Potter (Solkhon 46), Marna, L Potter, Boucaud, Seddon (Beardsley 78), Geohaghon, Westcarr. Unused subs: Graham, Charles, Wright. Booked: Seddon, Dempster.

Crawley: Rayner, Gaia, Giles, Quinn, Rents (Cook 79), Killeen, Bulman, Hurren (Napper 90), Shaw, Rankin (Malcolm 87), Matthews. Unused subs: Nayee, Mills. Booked: Hurren.

Attendance: 961.