Hat-trick hero Jon-Paul Pittman says the resolve of the Crawley players has been strengthened by their points deduction.

Reds go to Mansfield tomorrow looking to claw back three of the four points they had taken away on Monday for fielding Isaiah Rankin when he was not registered.

They produced the perfect response to the setback on Wednesday when Pittman’s first senior hat-trick rounded off a high-class 5-0 win over play-off rivals Cambridge United in the FA Trophy.

Pittman, who now has 13 goals this season, said: “It has definitely brought the lads closer together.

“We sat down as a squad after it happened and quickly put it behind us.

“As players, there is nothing we can do so we are just getting on with it and giving our all, we cannot let it affect us. There is still a lot of the season left to get the points back.”

While Pittman took the plaudits against Cambridge, he admits that another clean sheet gave him and his team-mates just as much pleasure.

He said: “We are defending so well at the moment. The boys were disappointed to let in two goals at home to Woking in our last game because we’d gone over eight hours in the league without conceding and we were resilient again against Cambridge.

“As a striker, if you know you have a good chance of keeping clean sheets it gives you confidence that if you can take your chances we are going to win games.

“I hit the target every time on Wednesday but there have been games when I have come off disappointed. I enjoyed Cambridge and I’m thrilled to score my first hat-trick but that’s behind me now and I’m just concentrating on Mansfield. I know a few of their players so I have been ringing them to warn them I’m on my way!”

Boss Steve Evans could again be without five players because of injury and suspensions at Field Mill but will not rule out making changes despite enjoying his side’s biggest win of the season.

Midfielder Thomas Pinault was left on the bench on Wednesday because of a back strain and new signing Jon Shaw did not figure in the squad because of a slight hamstring niggle but both could come into contention.

Evans said: “I think you play a side to reflect the opposition so it won’t be difficult to make changes.

“It was a huge decision to put Pinault on the bench and leave Shaw out. They went our way at Cambridge but things might be different on Saturday.

“We’re still very depleted through injuries or suspensions. But there might be changes and while it would be hard on those lads who played against Cambridge I get paid to make difficult decisions and win football matches.

“It will be a difficult trip but it’s no use playing like we did on Wednesday and then not perform on Saturday. It might not go for us but I will live with that if we play with the same endeavour we showed against Cambridge.”

Shaw should recover to be part of the squad although Evans revealed that the striker they have signed on loan from Rochdale for the rest of the season is not as fit as the rest of his squad.

He added: “We did some fitness testing with the two new boys and Shaw was 20% behind our lads.

“I made the decision after his first day with us that he was not going to start against Cambridge.

“He felt sore after training on Tuesday but we have him for three months so there is no point him getting injured in his first week and spending the next two months watching us.”

Crawley’s other new signing – midfielder Lewis Chalmers – had a promising debut and Evans believes he is going to have a big impact in their play-off bid.

He said: “I thought Chalmers was sensational. The legs fell off him in the last 20 minutes which we expected because he has only been playing reserve-team football but him and Dannie Bulman were as good a midfield pair as I have seen all season.”

Mansfield’s new boss David Holdsworth takes charge for the first time tomorrow and could have four new faces in his side including veteran goalkeeper Andy Marriott.

Crawley (from): Rayner, Wilson, Rents, Quinn, Wright, Bulman, Chalmers, Weatherstone, Malcolm, Fletcher, Pittman, Shaw, Stevens, Pinault, Mills, Nayee.

Mansfield: Marriott; Silk, Moses, Garner, Jearnin; Somner, D'Laryea; Briscoe, Arnold, O'Connor; Duffy.

Subs: Kay, Stallard, Whatsize, Woods, Blackwoods.

Follow Crawley LIVE at Mansfield tomorrow at the argus.co.uk/matchdaylive