Crawley Town boss Rob Elliot: We created lots of opportunities against Cambridge – but they weren’t clear-cut

The away team went ahead through a Kamari Doyle first half own goal, before Paul Digby doubled the U’s lead just after Rushian Hepburn-Murphy was sent off.

Despite having 17 shots, the Reds only managed to get one on target which did not come until the 85th minute through a Doyle effort which was saved.

Elliot put this down to Cambridge defending so deep, as he said: “No, I thought we created lots of opportunities. It's just obviously the amount of blocks and the bodies that Cambridge put in where they defend so deep. It's just obviously not to get the clear-cut ones.

“There were three or four in the first half that were obviously blocked and underlined, and there's obviously some last-ditch defending. So, when you play against teams that will go into a low block and sit inside there in your yard-box when you get further, it does become harder to have the clear-cut ones.

“We've always created opportunities and they weren't as clean as we'd like to be today. But obviously, that's what Cambridge do. They didn't stop the ball last week. They make it difficult, and they sort of try to keep you in front of you and pack the middle of the goal out with lots of bodies.”

Elliot went with an attacking line-up yesterday, with the former Newcastle goalkeeper saying that the team had five attackers starting for them, with others waiting to come off the bench.

Despite all the attacking options, Elliot admitted that they do not have a target man striker, with Tyreece John-Jules and Tola Showunmi not fitting that mould while Hepburn-Murphy plays a different role.

He said: “It's one of those ones where you have Junior [Quitirna] as a wide player and Harry [Forster] as wide players to get, obviously, to try and make sure that we can try and break them down because of the block. Tye, John Jules, obviously, being a striker.

“Kamari [Doyle] being a number 10, with Junior as well, we've probably got five attacking players.

“We have two pivots in terms of Brad [Ibrahim] and Liam [Fraser] to secure us. So, yeah, we have pretty much five attacking players on the pitch.

“We've also, you know, Ade [Adeyemo], [Will] Swanny and Tola to come on and affect it.

“I think Rushy is in terms of that and he's done that really well. We haven't really got a big target man type of striker who heads it.

“Tola’s a big lad, but that's not his game. You know, he's more of a link player and sort of a runner. So, look, we have to use what we've got.

“Tola obviously missed the last game with his knee. So, you know, we have to ease him back in. So, yeah, we have to make the best decisions we can with what we've got.”