Steve Evans will have a full-strength squad available for the first time this season when Crawley go to Chelmsford in the second round of the FA Trophy tonight.

Reds’ enforced 17-day lay-off since they beat Eastbourne Borough 2-0 on New Year’s Day has enabled defender Chris Giles and striker Danny Forrest, neither of whom have played since November, to recover from hamstring injuries.

And Evans will need all his resources against a Chelmsford side who he believes are a Blue Square premier outfit in all but name.

Evans watched the Clarets win 4-1 at Weymouth on Saturday to go third in Conference south thanks to a hat-trick from Ricky Holmes.

Evans said: “We will be prepared for a very hard game.

“They have always been a big club with supporters who get right behind their team. I have watched them a couple of times and it will be tough and physical although they do get down and play. Their ground has an athletics track round it and the pitch isn’t the best but it will be the same for both sides.”

Evans tried to sign both Chelmsford’s central midfielders Dave Rainford and John Martin during the summer but could not compete financially with Chelmsford’s terms.

He added: “They are two good players we would have liked. Rainford reckons they are a top-ten Conference side and I agree with him but if we play well I still expect us to be in the Trophy, even if we have to take them to the Broadfield for a replay.”

Evans admits the enforced break came at the worst time for his side who had won their four previous games, all away from home before the big freeze.

He said: “We were in our best form of the season results-wise before the snow so we are keen to play.

“We had a couple of outdoor fun-based sessions in the snow last week and the players have had a mini pre-season which they all need at this time of year so fitness levels should be high.

“We have a few players whose match fitness goes very quickly if they are not playing.

“But we have everyone available which is very rare for us – it will probably only last for one game!”

Evans is likely to pair Charlie Ademeno, whose last three games have brought him six goals and plenty of interest from League clubs, and Mikey Malcolm up front and while Ademeno has been grabbing the headlines in recent weeks Evans has been delighted with the form shown by his strike partner, who is producing the most consistent form of his Crawley career.

Evans said: “We got frustrated with Mikey at different times since he came here but seven weeks ago I decided to give him a run in the side and he has responded.

“If you looked at his performance against Eastbourne you would say he would go for money as well as Charlie because he was outstanding. We now have Danny Forrest fit as well and although he is a different player to those two and needs games he is another useful addition to our squad.”

Meanwhile, Ademeno continues to attract interest from clubs with Oxford United the latest side to make an enquiry to Evans along with a Scottish Premier League team and three League One sides, two of whom are believed to be Walsall and MK Dons.

Evans said: “Each of those club managers have all had a number of conversations with me but they have each been told that until our valuation has to be met the lad stays here which as a manager would suit me nicely.”

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

Chelmsford (from): Harrison, Haines, Patterson, B.Martin, Ward, Rainford, J.Martin, Cook, Edmans, Lock, Holmes, Clark, Berquez, Modeste, Cooper, Elad.