Crawley's front two Matt Tubbs and Craig McAllister insist they relish the competition for places now that boss Steve Evans has brought in a fifth striker.

Both were on target in the 2-1 win over Bath City and are likely to start against Hayes and Yeading tomorrow when Reds go for a third successive league win.

Evans revealed afterwards that a bid for a striker which would have broken the Conference transfer record had been rejected but yesterday he paid an undisclosed fee for Peterborough front-man Ben Wright.

Tubbs said: “I have said all along that competition for places can only raise the level of your performance. If the gaffer does bring someone in I will just concentrate on putting in performances and scoring goals and making sure my name is first on the team-sheet.”

McAllister added: “I was one of eight forwards at Exeter so I’m used to it. We have got two forwards injured at the moment and it is important to have a strong squad. It is good competition for everyone but hopefully my partnership with Tubbsy can develop.”

The pair have been partnered in three of Crawley’s four games and are starting to build a decent understanding.

McAllister said: “I have played with a lot of forwards and sometimes the partnership works and sometimes it doesn’t but I am getting on well with Tubbsy. I think we complement each other well.”

It clearly helps that they are pals off the park. They travel in to training together from Hampshire and Tubbs was delighted when McAllister broke his duck with a penalty against Bath – even though he has been assigned spot-kick duties.

He said: “I was penalty taker at my last club Salisbury and the gaffer said I would be this season. But Macca is a mate of mine and I know as a striker that getting your first goal is so important. I’m pleased he got it and hopefully it’s the first of many and he can keep putting in good performances."

Crawley (from): Kuipers, Wilson, Quinn, Hall, Rusk, Neilson, Masterton, Mills, Torres, Tubbs, McAllister, Enver-Marum, Cogan, Malcolm, McFadzean, Jordan, Wright.

Hayes and Yeading (from): Harrison, Ferrell, Green, Bygrave, Holmes, Deen, Yiadom, Hand, Pritchard, Wassmer, Mulley, Buchanan, Wishart, Lennie, Webb.

For more on this story see The Argus today.