Crawley boss Billy Smith expects six sides to be in the Dr Martens League title shake-up.

Smith's men went into today's home game against lowly Merthyr having restored their four-point lead on Boxing Day.

While they were coming from behind to beat Welling 3-2 with ten men, second placed Kettering, who won 2-0 at Broadfield Stadium a week ago, slumped to a shock home defeat against lowly Cambridge City.

Tamworth also lost to another top six outfit, Moor Green, while Havant are back in third after beating Bath.

Smith said: "It's between any of the teams in the top six and those are the teams who have been up there pretty much for most of the season.

"You saw on Boxing Day that any team can take points off another in this league. But it was nice to bounce back after losing to Kettering.

"The sides below us have games in hand, but we've got points on the board and they have got to catch us. Being top doesn't bother me, if we were second for the rest of the season and won the league on the last day then that would be fine."

If the title is decided by results between the leading contenders then Crawley appear to be well placed.

They have shared six points with Kettering and have to play Tamworth and Moor Green, in the last home game of the season, on their own patch.

They visit Weymouth next Saturday and go to Havant in early March.

Crawley's success this season is no surprise to their manager.

"We're doing as well as I'd expected because of the quality of players we have got here," he added.

"There is real strength in depth and you need that to win any league because you are going to get injuries and suspensions.

"We didn't have that last season, but there is competition for places in virtually every position now."

Reds appear to be over the worst injury wise with only John Ugbah (knee) out long-term. Defender Marc Pullan will need a scan on his knee ligaments while Warren Bagnall (thigh strain) could be back for the New Year's Day's match with Folkestone.