Crawley Town recovered from the worst possible start to keep their play-off hopes alive last night.

Danny Kedwell put AFC Wimbledon ahead after just 48 seconds but goals from Danny Forrest and Charlie Ademeno secured all three points for Reds.

The result means Crawley are now just two points behind Wimbledon and with Kettering and York also losing last night victory kept them very much in the hunt for a top five finish.

Assistant manager Paul Raynor said: “Every game is a must-win for us at this stage of the season because we are trying to hang on to the coat tails of the teams above us.

“We are on a good run of form at the moment and we have just got to keep it going and see where it takes us “Our run in is pretty reasonable and if we keep playing like we are then we might surprise a few people come the end of the season.

“It was a magnificent performance after making a terrible start. Big clubs keep turning up here and we keep turning them over.”

Reds handed a debut to Matt Langston after signing the defender on an emergency loan from Histon.

The 28-year-old, who comes from Lewes, went straight into the team with Eddie Hutchinson joining Adam Quinn on the injury list, although Glenn Wilson was deemed fit to play.

Langston only met his new team-mates three hours before the game and that may have played a part in Crawley falling behind after just 48 seconds.

Neither he nor Karl Broadhurst were switched on to the danger as a long ball from Sam Hatton found its way to Kedwell who expertly lobbed over the stranded Simon Rayner.

It was the worst possible start for Reds but the way they responded was impressive as they dominated the rest of the half.

Ademeno was causing the Wimbledon defence problems every time he got the ball and with a little more composure would have brought Reds level before the 18th minute.

The equaliser came from a long ball into the area from Sam Rents which Langston did superbly to head back across goal for Forrest to hook home from close range.

Crawley continued to press and a quick free-kick saw Rents fizz a low ball across the six-yard box but no one could get a touch and then Ademeno beat the offside trap only to blaze his shot high over the bar.

Barry Cogan also drew a good save from James Pullen while at the other end Rayner turned a deflected free-kick from Glenn Poole around a post.

Boss Steve Evans would have asked for more of the same in the second half and it took just seven minutes for Crawley to take the lead.

Any watching scouts would have been impressed as Ademeno brilliantly spun away from his man on the edge of the area after receiving a pass from Cogan and then drilled a shot low inside the near post.

Reds were completely on top after taking the lead but lost some of their momentum when Ademeno limped off with 20 minutes to go with a tight hamstring.

In the end they had to survive a nervous final ten minutes as Wimbledon bombarded the area but, apart from an optimistic penalty shout when Luke Moore went down in the box, held on for a deserved win.

Crawley: Rayner 6, Rusk 7, Rents 7, Langston 7, Broadhurst 7, Cogan 6, Wilson 6, Pinault 6, Smith 7, Forrest 7 (Killeen, 90), Ademeno 7 (Malcolm, 70). Subs not used: Napper, Carter, Jordan.

Booked: Broadhurst. Pinault, Smith, Forrest.

AFC Wimbledon: Pullen, Hatton, Judge, Lorraine, Duncan, Taylor (Godfrey, 54), Gregory, Hendry, Poole (Wellard, 45), Elder (Moore, 65), Kedwell. Subs not used: Brown, Blanchett.

Booked: None.

Referee: Chris Powell (Dorset) Attendance: 1,569 (750 Wimbledon).