STEVE EVANS admitted it was a case of “them and us” as his patched-up Crawley side finally succumbed in the closing stages at Gateshead.

The Reds were without seven of their 17-man first-team squad for the trip to the North East which meant their bench was made up of three rookies, a goalkeeper and 43-year-old assistant-manager Paul Raynor.

Evans tried to bring in reinforcements before last week’s loan deadline but a deal for Millwall’s Ashley Grimes fell through and the club’s finances dictated he was unable to get any of his other targets.

Crawley’s directors are trying to make the club debt free by the end of the season which is why a number of players have been sold in recent months including the likes of Jake Wright and Jamie Cook.

Evans understands the situation but also finds it frustrating as he balances the club’s intentions with his own natural desire to be successful.

With a side which included just one recognised striker who was only half fit, Crawley gave everything for their manager but when the home side finally sprung into life in the final 20 minutes the Reds had nothing in reserve, either in their tanks or on the bench.

The situation will no doubt be the same tomorrow at home to leaders Oxford. Evans will continue to get the best out of what he has got but what he has got at the moment is not really enough.

Evans said: “The directors will take great pride at the end of the season when they announce a debt free club but it doesn’t make it any easier for a manager who is trying to win football matches.

“I have had wonderful support from (directors) Bruce Winfield and Susan Carter but they have got a different strategy to me. They have a strategy to make sure the club is financially sound.

“The club was £400,000 in debt 18 months ago. It is less than £50,000 in debt now. The knockers out there who want to complain can’t have it both ways.

“If you look at some of the signings clubs made last week, players that we went for. We went for the boy (Onome) Sodje (from Barnsley) who went to Oxford, we went for Franny Green who went to Oxford. We have been in for a lot of players but the difference is we are offering a third of what they are getting wages-wise while the other clubs are coming in and paying the full lot.

“Gateshead signed (Rochdale pair) Jon Shaw and Clark Keltiek, we signed a kid for £40 a week and paid his petrol to come from London.

“We have been asked by the directors to stick in. We have felt like baling out at times when we see the restrictions we have to work under but when you are told by Bruce Winfield and Susan Carter they want to have a real go next year then you want to be around.”

Crawley were without Barry Cogan and skipper Adam Quinn due to bans while Chris Giles, Sam Rents, Calum Willock, Danny Forrest and Max Lake-Edwards were injured.

Gateshead boss Ian Bogie opted for a 4-3-3 formation to counter his own lack of recognised strikers but Crawley picked Bogie’s gameplan apart in the first half when the visitors were the better team.

Crawley should have gone ahead through Ben Smith on 23 minutes before Mikey Malcolm finally broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark when he took the ball down on the edge of the box and slipped defender Darren Williams before rifling past goalkeeper Paul Farman.

Malcolm went close to a second from a free-kick on 63 minutes and at that stage you could not see Gateshead coming back.

But, with a couple of substitutions, they upped their game and levelled on 74 minutes when Kris Gate’s super run scythed open the Crawley defence and the ball fell for former Reds striker Daryl Clare to finish from close range.

Clare returned the compliment to Gate three minutes later with a great touch to play in the midfielder who beat Rayner at his near post.

The equaliser prompted Evans to confront referee Tony Harrington in his dressing room afterwards with the Reds boss convinced Clare was offside.

It summed up Crawley’s afternoon. They gave their all but the gods seemed to have conspired against them.

Crawley: Rayner; Hutchinson, Broadhurst, Wilson, Rusk; Killeen, Lokando, Pinault, Smith; Ademeno (sub Carter 83), Malcolm. Subs not used: Napper, Huggins, Raynor, Jordan.

Gateshead: Farman; Baxter, Curtis, Williams, Gate; Turnbull (sub Richardson 64), Gate, Keltie; Haworth, Clare, Winn (sub Phillips 72).

Subs not used: Provett, Swailes, One.