Anthony Wordsmith is a happy man – and that is great news for Crawley fans.

The on-loan Ipswich Town midfielder scored his fourth goal in 13 appearances for the Reds in Tuesday’s 3-2 victory at Port Vale.

He also had a hand in the other two Crawley goals and is fast becoming a hugely influential figure in the club’s bid to avoid relegation to League Two.

After a slow start following his arrival in January on a loan deal until the end of the season, Wordsworth now has three goals in his last six appearances which any striker would be proud of, let alone a midfielder whose primary role is to lay on chances for others.

While the soul focus for now should be on Crawley trying to secure a fourth season at the third tier of English football, planning for how they will cope next season whatever division they are in has to be in the back of everyone’s minds.

And there are few who would argue that Wordsworth would be asset to the Reds moving forward should they be able to secure him on a longer term deal.

His contract at Ipswich runs out at the end of the season and it seems likely he will be looking for a new club.

The former Colchester player has appeared just once in the Championship for the Tractor Boys this season, as a substitute on the opening day of the season, and manager Mick McCarthy was prepared to offload him on a permanent deal which fell through in January.

That opened the door for Wordsworth’s loan move to Crawley and it has been all smiles since.

The player himself will wait to the end of the season but the fact he is enjoying himself at present will count in Crawley’s favour when decision time comes.

Wordsworth said: “This is probably the happiest I have been in my career.

“I’m playing every week and there is a great bunch of lads. It is a funny group, we get on great and it has definitely been a good eight weeks.

“I said if I could get five goals I would be over the moon with that. I have got four and should have had a couple more.

“I’m also chipping in with a few assists so I’m pleased from a personal point of view. If I can continue to do that, then I can help the team.”

Wordsworth was delighted to help Crawley make it back-to-back wins at Port Vale – and four victories in their last seven games.

They are now within two points of safety ahead of today’s clash with Leyton Orient, who are one place below them in the table.

Today’s match signals a more favourable run, with Gillingham at home next Saturday, then Crewe away on Good Friday and Oldham at the Checkatrade.com Stadium on Easter Monday.

Wordsworth is pleased with the upturn in fortunes but has offered a word of caution.

He said: “We have got to play the teams around us but they are also scrapping so it could work against us but we would rather be playing them than Bristol City.

“Tuesday was a massive win. It keeps us in the mix. A few other teams have been dragged into it. It’s looking better than it did for us a few weeks ago.

“Even at half-time when we were 2-1 down we all felt like we were going to come in at the end winners.

“We didn’t feel like we were going to lose the game. That is down to the gaffer. He has installed some belief into the players and you can see one or two of them have more confidence than they had maybe nine weeks ago which is a credit to the gaffer and Paul (Groves, assistant).”