Striker Jamie Proctor has backed Crawley to bounce back from their worst run for nearly 15 years.

Reds travel to promotion-chasing Brentford tonight reeling from five consecutive defeats which have dragged them perilously close to the relegation zone.

The club have not lost five games in a row since the start of the 1999/2000 season which led to Cliff Cant being replaced as manager by Billy Smith.

Proctor admits it is hard to explain the sudden swing in fortunes since producing a superb performance to stun leaders Wolves three weeks ago. But he is confident Reds can stop the rot and pick up the two wins they probably need to secure their place in League One again next season.

Proctor said: “I can't quite put my finger on what is going wrong at the moment but we’ll definitely turn it around.

“We don’t like to use excuses but can look at the schedule we have had in recent weeks. It’s not normal to play this amount of games but we are all fit lads and we are paid to look after ourselves so we can’t complain. “I think it might be a mental thing. When you go into the last ten minutes of game you start to think ‘we haven’t won for a while’ and you sort of take your mind off what you would normally do.

“In contrast if you are winning games you are confident you are going to see it out and pick up the three points. “That is where we all have to stick together. The mental side of things plays a big part so we need to be confident we can go out and change the results we have been getting “The hardest thing to take is the fact we have been playing well in the majority of the games but picked up no points. We probably deserved a draw against Crewe but we’ve not had any luck.

“It would have taken a bit of the pressure off if we had got something from that game but I’m sure we’ll pick up enough points to get us over the line.”

Proctor changed the game when he came off the bench against Crewe in the second half and hopes he has done enough to earn a place in the starting line-up at Griffin Park tonight.

The former Preston striker capped an impressive display by ending a run of 12 games without a goal when he lashed home a contender for goal of the season from 25 yards.

It counted for nothing in the end, though, as Brad Inman grabbed a winner with ten minutes to go and Proctor added: “It was maybe the best goal I’ve scored for Crawley. “It was a little bit harder because I was coming away from goal and put it in the far corner but it meant nothing as we lost.

“My goal against Coventry (on the opening day of the season) helped us get three points so it meant a little bit more. “Hopefully I’ve done enough to start the next game but we’ll have to wait and see. I am always disappointed if I’m on the bench but everyone feels they should be starting.

“All you can do is play well when you come on and try to impress the manager in training. He picks the team and you’ve got to accept his decision.”

Crawley welcome back Dannie Bulman from suspension tonight while Andy Drury is expected to have recovered from a bug which ruled him out of the defeat to Crewe. Striker Matt Tubbs is also in contention after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury.

Italy under-21 international striker Marcela Trotta is expected to be recalled by Brentford after being left on the bench for the 3-1 win against Notts County on Saturday.

Brentford (4-3-3, probable): Button; McCormack, Tarkowski, Craig, Bidwell; Douglas, Diagouraga, Forshaw; Donaldson, Trotta, Judge. Subs from: Bonham, Yennaris, Reeves, Saville, Grigg, Dean, Dallas, Lee.
Crawley (4-4-2, possible): P Jones; M Connolly, McFadzean, Walsh, Sadler; Simpson, Bulman, Drury, M Jones; Clarke, Tubbs. Subs from: Maddison, P Connolly, Dicker, Torres, Edwards,
Monakana, Proctor.