Glenn Wilson insists Crawley must find some consistency if they are to mount a serious challenge for the play-offs.

Reds followed up Saturday’s impressive victory over Torquay United with a workmanlike draw at struggling Stevenage Borough.

The visitors enjoyed the majority of the possession but lacked a cutting edge and it took a scrambled goal from Wilson 14 minutes from time to cancel out Mitchell Cole’s early strike and salvage a point.

The result leaves Crawley in mid-table and they know they must reproduce the kind of form shown against Lewes and Torquay if they are to maintain hopes of a top five finish.

Wilson said: “Our performances have been a bit up and down so far this season and that is something we have got to work on.

“We were inconsistent last season as well and we must get away from that if we are to challenge near the top of the table.

“Our performances against York and Forest Green were disappointing but we have shown what we can do against Lewes and Torquay so we have got to build on that.

“If we play the way we know we can more often than not and try to eradicate the errors then we will do well this season.

“We weren’t at our best again today but Stevenage is a difficult place to come and we were possibly the better team without creating too many chances.”

Reds boss Steve Evans made three changes from the side which swept Torquay aside 3-1 as he attempted to freshen things up.

Despite the introduction of Isaiah Rankin for his full debut along with Wilson and Jamie Cook Crawley were sluggish in the opening 20 minutes.

They had a lucky escape when Lawrie Wilson burst between Dannie Bulman and Jake Wright to set up Peter Vincenti who drew a fine reflex save from Simon Rayner.

Crawley did not heed the warning and more lax defending saw them fall behind two minutes later. Steve Morison got behind Sam Rents and, although Rayner blocked his shot from point blank range, the ball fell to Cole who fired into the unguarded net.

After taking just one point from their opening four matches that should have been the signal for Stevenage to grow in confidence but instead it was Crawley who took control of the game.

They forced seven corners in the first half without really looking threatening and the closest they came to scoring was a 25-yard drive from Simon Weatherstone which Chris Day turned around a post at full stretch.

Crawley threw caution to the wind in the second half with Rankin being replaced by Lewis Killeen and then Danny Forrest coming on to make a four-man attack with Jamie Cook and Jon-Paul Pittman.

Killeen should have levelled when he was put through by Weatherstone but his first touch took him wide and he lifted his shot against the underside of the bar.

He made amends two minutes later though when his cross caused mayhem in the Stevenage box and although Wilson’s initial header was cleared off the line he was alert enough to blast home the loose ball from close range.

Reds had to survive the last ten minutes with what amounted to ten men after Pittman suffered a bad injury but had to carry on as all three substitutes had already been used.

It could have cost them too with Calum Willock bursting through only to throw himself to the ground and be booked for diving and Morison shooting weakly at Rayner in injury time.

Evans said: “If we hadn’t got the equaliser it would have been a travesty. We were sloppy for the first 15 minutes but after that we were the better team by far. It has been a good weekend for us. We tore Torquay apart on Saturday and have then come to a difficult place and passed Stevenage off the pitch for periods of the game.

“We are a bit disappointed not to have won but what pleased me most was the tenacity and effort the players showed to get something out of the game.”

Stevenage: Day, Wilson, Laird, Oliver, Albrighton, Mills, Willock, Morison, Cole (Thomas, 60), Henry, Vincenti. Subs not used: Bayes, Anaclet, Christie, Bostwick.

Booked: Willock.

Crawley: Rayner, Rents, Wilson (Thomas, 75), Wright, Quinn, Weatherstone, Pinault (Forrest, 66), Bulman, Cook, Rankin (Killeen, 46), Pittman. Subs not used: Stevens, Douglas.

Booked: Quinn, Weatherstone, Wilson.

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