Crawley in 'dire straits' ahead of defining clash with Shrewsbury

Crawley Town find themselves in dire straits ahead of the visit of Shrewsbury Town - and a potentially defining week for head coach Colin Kazim-Richards.

The Reds have made their worst start to an EFL season since promotion from non-league in 2011 and sit five points adrift of safety at the bottom of League Two.

League leaders Salford City consigned them to a sixth league defeat of the season, after emerging 2-1 victors at the Peninsula Stadium on Saturday.

Dylan Morgan halved the deficit following Macauley Langstaff’s first half double, but Crawley head into their clash with Shrewsbury on the back of a seven-match winless run in the league.

Morgan has been one of the very few bright sparks for Crawley this term, as he extended his season tally to three, but pressure is beginning to mount on Kazim-Richards.

Kazim-Richards’ charges have lost more games in League Two than any other side, while no team have won fewer than the Reds’ measly total of one either.

With their place in the Football League looking under growing threat, even at this early stage of the season, Kazim-Richards can ill-afford to slip-up ahead of a home doubleheader against Shrewsbury, and then Tranmere Rovers this week.

There is doubt over the availability of Priestley Farquharson, after the former Walsall and Newport County defender was forced off with an injury during the second half at Salford.

His latest issue comes just a week after Crawley lost key defender Akin Odiyamo to injury, after he was stretchered off during their 2-2 draw at Chesterfield earlier this month.

Ex-Arsenal and Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone, who is now 38, is likely to start between the sticks, while midfielder Jude Arthurs won the League Two title with Bromley last season.