Defender Chris Giles insists Crawley are still gunning for the Conference play-offs, despite their poor start to the season.

Giles is set to make his second start for Reds against his former club Aldershot in front of the Sky TV cameras at The Recreation tonight.

The Welshman made an impressive league debut in last Mondays 2-1 defeat against Stevenage, which left Crawley without a win from their first five games and second-bottom in the league.

Giles twice reached the play-offs during his two-year spell at the Shots and was one of the unfortunate players to miss a penalty in the shoot-out against Shrewsbury in last years final.

He believes Reds are in a false position and have players enough good to turn their season around.

He said: We were aiming to reach the play-offs before the season and, without doubt, that has not changed after five games.

Runs like this always happen throughout a season and I would much rather we got it out of our system now rather than later on.

We are 11 points adrift, so we cant afford to slip further behind but that doesnt mean we are out of it already by a long way.

We have a very strong squad and I dont see why we cant go up the table once we start playing the way we can.

Aldershot are the only side with a worse record than Crawley in the Conference, lying bottom with one point.

Giles says he will have no problem heaping more misery on his old side in what he calls a must win game for Reds.

He said: I had quite an eventful time at Aldershot and I enjoyed playing in the big games with all the pressure and the big crowds. The playoff final was great, although it did not turn out quite the way I wanted.

But I feel I didnt really fulfil my potential at the club, which was probably because, deep down, I was not particularly happy there.

But I am looking forward to going back and playing against them.

It is a massive game, which we must win, although Aldershot will be thinking the same thing.

When Sky arranged to cover it, they probably thought it was going to be a top-of-thetable clash but instead it is two clubs at the bottom.

We both should not be down there and I doubt we will still be there at the end of the season but we both need points now, so it is a very important game.

Crawley will give a debut to new striker Daryl Clare, who signed for a club record fee last week from Boston on transfer deadline day.

Clare turned down an offer from Aldershot in favour of Reds and is relishing the chance to introduce himself to his new club live on TV.

He said: It is a great way of making your debut and is exactly what I want.

It is a derby and both sides need the points, so it is a massive game.

It is also on Sky so it will be a good way for me to show what I can do to the fans.

If we can get three points, it could kick-start our season but we know it is going to be very difficult because Aldershot are in the same situation.

Crawley will be without captain Ian Simpemba, who is serving a one-match ban for five bookings.

Midfielder Lee Blackburn is also suspended, while midfielders Lee Elam (hamstring) and Rob Kember (eye) are doubtful.

The Shots will be without three influential players through injury.

Midfielder Gary Holloway has a knee problem, former Wales international Darren Barnard, who scored in Aldershots 1-0 win over Reds last season, has a hernia problem and last seasons top scorer Tim Sills is struggling with a foot injury.

Also on the casualty list is defender John Brough with a hamstring problem and former Albion midfielder David Lee, who is out for most of the season with a broken leg.

Another ex-Seagull Paul Kitson is struggling for fitness but could be on the bench, while Albion loanee Chris McPhee will lead the attack.

Transfer deadline signings Greg Heald, Matt Gearing and Ryan Williams are all expected to make their debuts.