'Huge positive' - Crawley Town praises fans' relationship with his players

The Reds made hard work of the win, with Toby Mullarkey’s injury time goal taking the tie to extra time before Tola Showunmi fired in a winner to make sure Elliot’s side were in the hat for Sunday’s round two draw – wheere they were pulled out at home against either Chesham United or Lincoln City.

Elliot was taking nothing for granted before the trip to the Non-League side but one thing guaranteed in Elliot’s mind was the support of the fans and the relationship they have grown.

Elliot said: “I think the first thing you have to ask as a fan is the work rate and intensity and honesty. I think with this group it always is I don't think we can question that; I haven’t seen that questioned once since I’ve been here.

“The one thing that has been a huge positive for me is that the away support has been tremendous with a brilliant following and the home support as well; it was absolutely rocking at Lincoln and there the nights we want to have and the days we want to have.

“The big thing I’ve found here is that we are not the biggest club in the league but we are a club the fans care about and they care about the journey we’ve been on and we want to make sure that first and foremost is a non-negotiable but also something given is the lads are giving everything on a Saturday.

"Sometimes the quality doesn’t come through as much as you want but the effort that is demanded and expected is always there.

“That’ll be the identity of this team as an absolute minimum, and I think when you see that that’s what really makes the club and the relationship of the players so special because the players are giving everything.