A blossoming defensive pairing could be the key as Crawley look to launch an unlikely bid for the play-offs.

Skipper Adam Quinn has built a good understanding with Karl Broadhurst since returning to action at the start of September.

Last year the combination of Quinn and Jake Wright was a huge success as Crawley led the table for a while before eventually finishing ninth.

While his housemate Wright goes from strength to strength following a six-figure summer move to Albion, Quinn is quite happy with the way things are going with his new central defensive partner.

Broadhurst made 240 League appearances for Bournemouth and Hereford before joining Crawley in the summer.

He began the campaign alongside Chris Giles with Quinn sidelined by a calf injury.

The pair came together for the first time in the 2-0 win at home to Histon on September 8 and since then they have grown as a pairing.

In six games together, Crawley have kept three clean sheets and conceded just three goals.

Crawley go into tomorrow’s home game with Barrow with just one defeat in seven – a 3-1 loss away to leaders Oxford United when Broadhurst missed out through suspension.

Quinn, who has been a great success since joining from Halifax last August, believes the partnership is working well.

He said: “We have only had a few games together but we have kept a few clean sheets.

“Karl has played in the League for most of his career. This is his first season out of the League and he has a vast amount of experience.

“He reads the game well, is aggressive in the air and is a quality player in this league.

“We get on really well. We understand each other’s games and the more games we play the better we will be.”

Their recent run has lifted Crawley to 11th in Blue Square premier, just three points off a play-off place.

Crawley claim their budget is in the bottom quarter of clubs in the division and manager Steve Evans has repeatedly stressed it will be a tremendous achievement for the Reds to finish anywhere near a play-off place.

Quinn is pleased with the progress Crawley have made so far but says they could be even higher up the table.

He said: “We know we could be doing better. At the start of the season there were a few new faces and expectations were high.

“I know we are not far off but if you look at the points we have dropped we could have been in a play-off position.

“But we are a quarter of the way through the season and we are in touch.”

Evans has missed the last three games due to a Football Association suspension which prevented him from attending Crawley matches.

He will be back at the Broadfield Stadium tomorrow, although not in the dugout as he now starts a ten-match touchline ban.

While Evans’ assistant Paul Raynor was pleased with a point from a goalless draw at Ebbsfleet last Saturday, Reds will be expecting all three against a Barrow side who have won just once on the road this season.

Striker Charles Ademeno could return to the squad after missing four games with a heel injury.

The former Southend striker was back in training this week but Glenn Wilson is doubtful with a hamstring injury which ruled him out of last Saturday’s draw and Chris Giles is still sidelined with a back problem.

Evans is also trying to add another striker to his squad.

The visitors will be without striker Nick Rogan who suffered a head injury in a midweek friendly against a Celtic XI.

Crawley (from): Rayner, Rusk, Quinn, Broadhurst, Rents, Killeen, Pinault, Hutchinson, Cogan, Louis, Willock, Ademeno, Forrest, Wilson, Smith, Malcolm, Lake-Edwards, Jordan.

Barrow (from): Tomlinson, Jelleyman, Dugdale, Jones, Pearson, Kamara, Hulbert, Bond, Wainwright, Shaw, Walker, Deasy, Logan, Sheridan, Rutherford, Spender.

Follow Crawley v Barrow LIVE tomorrow at www.theargus.co.uk/sport/matchdaylive