Steve Evans believes Charlie Ademeno is ready to fire Crawley’s bid for a festive derby double.

Ademeno, plagued by a knee problem during the first half of the season, is pain free at last and will lead Reds’ attack against Eastbourne Borough on Boxing Day.

The summer signing from Southend, who celebrated his 21st birthday earlier this month, has only made 13 starts and never played more than three games in succession since first suffering the injury at the end of August.

But while some players may be dreading the punishing holiday schedule of three games in a week boss Evans believes it might be just what his star striker needs.

He said: “Charlie looked a bit rusty in our last match at Bashley and we felt then that he was two weeks away from full fitness.

“But he has stepped up in training since then. We had a game in the snow on Tuesday and he was properly at it. You could tell that with some of his twists and turns and the way he was finishing.

“It’s been a stop-start season for Charlie but three games in a week? He will be saying ‘bring it on.’ He is going to be a massive player for us over the festive period.”

As well as the double date with Borough, Reds also travel to another of the strugglers Grays Athletic.

They are all winnable fixtures and healthy haul of points could push Crawley back into play-off contention.

Evans added: “It’s not an impossibility to get nine points but it won’t be easy.

“I have total respect for (Borough boss) Garry Wilson. They have had a more difficult year than last season but they have got some very good players.

“They will play a tight 4-5-1 and try and hit us on the break. They have done that at places such as Mansfield and got results so we are under no illusions about how tight it will be.”

Eddie Hutchinson returns to the squad but Danny Forrest (hamstring) is still out.

Crawley (from): Rayner, Rusk, Rents, Quinn, Wilson, Smith, Pinault, Cogan, Malcolm, Willock, Ademeno, Killeen, Broadhurst, Hutchinson, King, Jordan.

Borough have not won in Blue Square premier for more than three months but a run of five games without defeat has boosted confidence at Priory Lane.

Wilson said: “We will be underdogs but we will try our best. They have got some good players so we are under no illusions how hard it will be but we are on a good run and will be looking to carry that on.”

Wilson hopes to have a full squad to choose from with James Fraser and Simon Weatherstone both expected to shake off injuries and Marc Pullan recovering from illness.

Eastbourne: Knowles, Baker, Austin, Elphick, Jenkins, Smith, Brown, Armstrong, Johnson, M Crabb, Enver-Marum. Subs from: Jordan, Pullan, Atkin, N Crabb, Weatherstone, Fraser, Taylor.