Steve Evans admits ‘eyebrows will be raised’ if Crawley do not attract one of their biggest crowds for what he considers is their hardest match of the season so far.

The club are hoping for their second 2,000-plus gate as the leaders take on third-placed Newport County, who are expected to be backed by about 400 travelling fans.

Co-owner Sue Carter warned last week that the club needed bigger gates to help finance their push for the Football League and Evans said: “We want a big home support behind us and if that doesn’t happen one or two eyebrows will be raised but I have seen good crowds at the Broadfield when I didn’t expect them and poor crowds when I expected more so we will see what we get on Saturday.

“It doesn’t matter to me if we win 1-0 and there are three people in the ground but for the players and the people who pay the bills it is important.”

Evans claims the clash with Dean Holdsworth’s side, who won promotion after running away with the Blue Square south title last season, is more important than last week’s 2-1 win at Luton Town.

He said: “It is first versus third and a win could be the difference between them getting to within three points of us or us going nine clear of third place.

“It is the biggest game of the season so far. Luton was always tough given their support and tradition but we identified before the season that Newport would be a real force because they have signed some outstanding players.

“They are strong and disciplined under Dean Holdsworth. They call themselves part-time but to me that is another Wimbledon-style kid-on when they claimed they were part-time but actually train four times a week!”

See the full story plus how Jamie Cook has made a remarkable recovery from injury in The Argus today