"We've got to improve and if we don't it could cost us again" - John Yems demands improvement from Crawley Town ahead of Salford City trip

The disparity between Crawley’s home and away form has been hot topic of late and only increased after the Reds' lost 1-0 at home to Hartlepool United, the side with the worst away record in the division.

When asked about why he thinks there is a difference between their record at home and on the road, Yems said: "Simple answer to that, if I knew that I’d change it. I can’t answer you; we prepare the same, get ready the same.

"Last year we went nine months without losing at home and you forget other teams set up to do a job on us as well.

"That’s no excuse as we’ve got to improve and if we don’t it could cost us again. We’ll work through it, it’s nothing you’re going to hang yourself about."

In the midst of a packed fixture schedule, Crawley had a rare week without a midweek fixture.

Yems said: "We’ve had a week to put things right, working on a few things for Salford as it’s a different opposition. The lads are enjoying it and behind everything we’re doing."

Salford sit only four points ahead of Crawley having played a game more than Yems’ men, meaning three points at Moor Lane would see the Reds' back on the coattails of the league's play-off pushing sides.

When asked about the close position of the two sides in the table, Yems replied: "I don’t look, trust me. There’s two ways you can look at it. You either beat yourself up and get envious of people who are spending money, or you look inside our dressing room and you see our fans who are travelling away and at home. They’re the ones we’re playing for.

"We want to be the best we can be for them before we start setting silly targets. I keep hearing about money, money but you’ve still got to spend it right.

"We’ve got a unity in the squad of players that come in and enjoy playing that you can’t put a price on.

"It’s going to be a tough game, it always is. They’re football people, it’s difficult to understand them sometimes but then they don’t speak the Queen’s English like we do."

In his post-match interview last weekend, Yems said that the performances of some players were “unacceptable”.

"When asked if there would be wholesale changes to the side, Yems replied: "No in a nutshell, because we haven’t got the people to bring in. The performances were unacceptable to the point where I know they can do better, and they have to do better.

"The big ‘C’ word in football is consistency. When I’ve been involved with other sides who have won promotion, they have that.

"They’re consistent in training and the matches, you’re consistently doing it and helping each other at the minute, they just lack a little bit of that.

"That quality has to be better and the lads will be first to tell you that."

During the game against Hartlepool, some sections of the crowd behind the dugout were throwing abuse at Yems and the Crawley bench.

Yems hit out saying: "We don’t need them having a pop at people we need them to be behind us all the time.

"I don’t expect them to be walking round singing and juggling balls and being Coco the Clown if you just lost, because I’m the world’s worst but that’s when you need fans.”

Joining Yems in the press conference was the new on-loan arrival from Championship side Derby County, Isaac Hutchinson. Hutchinson was born in Eastbourne and played at youth level for Brighton.

On returning to play in Sussex once again, he said: "It’s nice to be back down South and close to family. It’s a good club and a club I’ve known a lot about for a while.

"I wanted the opportunity to play and here I think I’ve got that. What the club wants to achieve, I want to be a part of.

"I want to get on the pitch and help the team out and take them to a place they’ve never been before."

Yems had previously said how important and strong the unity of the squad was. When asked if he felt the same, Hutchinson replied: "100 per cent, I haven’t felt a slight bit of negativity towards anyone or between anyone and that shows on the pitch.

"Everyone is willing to fight and help the team, everyone wants to fight for their mate.

“My target is to help the team climb the table and get as high as possible and if we do that, I’ll be happy.” Hutchinson said, before Yems joked. "He’s also playing for a contract, too."