Anyone looking at the result of this top versus bottom encounter may be wondering how Crawley Green managed what so many other teams have failed to do this season; keep a clean sheet and take a point back to Luton from the BEP Stadium. Be under no illusions, Crawley Green were well worth their point as they frustrated high flying Rangers with a superbly resilient display whilst also squandering a couple of gilt edged chances themselves. Rangers missed creative midfielder Keiron Schmidt, missing through illness, and it showed, with a display that lacked the normal cutting edge. The home side started well enough with a half chance falling to Gavin James, denied by a timely challenge before, soon after, Bailey Osborne’s run and shot was blocked in front of goal. Not to be overawed however, Crawley Green forced a full length save from Jack Brooker following a neat turn and shot from 18 yards. Two minutes later and the Rangers keeper almost presented a gift when he failed to clear a long ball, recovering well to force Green's striker wide of danger. At the other end a near own goal as Marcus Wyllie crossed low, the ball diverted inches wide of the post by a miskicked clearance. A couple of half chances came and went for the home side before Crawley Green forced another diving save from Brooker. As the game approached the half hour mark James cleverly set away Wyllie with just the keeper to be but the home sides top scorer somehow screwed his effort just wide. Left back, Josh Fox then sent in a dangerous waist high cross through a crowd of players with no one able to apply the finishing touch. With ten minutes to the break and Adam Morris was robbed of the ball presenting the Crawley striker with a run at goal but he too was unable to hit the target as Brooker raced to narrow the angle. Soon after and a Crawley header was easily dealt with by Brooker. A good free kick from Morris was then tipped around the post by the Crawley keeper for a corner, which was headed onto the roof of the net by James.

The second half saw Rangers enjoy more possession whilst limiting their opponents to a couple of long range efforts, as the visitors sat deeper to protect their goal. Not for the first time however, the home side were wasteful in front of goal. Five minutes in and Fox blazed well over when well placed. Next was James, also firing over the bar. Fox again surged forward, the Crawley keeper saving bravely at his feet. With 15 minutes of the half played Morris's driven free kick was met by the head of the diving Sean Coles, the ball somehow flashing past the post from close range. Coles should have scored again five minutes later when he was through, his low drive whistling past the far upright with the keeper beaten. Rangers thought they'd taken the lead moments later when James finished well after pouncing on a loose ball, but the joy was short lived as the referee blew for a foul in the build up. Not long after the same player was denied by the keeper when he neatly hooked a shot with his back to goal. In the final ten minutes Rangers began piling balls into the Crawley box with the visitors defending valiantly. Coles headed over a difficult chance then the same player and James both had shots blocked from close range. Evans Lamboh pounced on a half clearance and drilled his shot goal-bound, the ball brilliantly blocked before he then fired the rebound high over the bar. In time added on a moment of panic in the Crawley area as the keeper mistimes a punch. A few moments of pin-ball ensued before the ball was hoofed clear and the referee brought proceedings to and end to the delight of the Crawley Green players and visiting supporters.

A bad day at the office for Rangers but one game doesn't make a season and there will be no complacency on Tuesday night when they travel to Harpenden, before returning to the BEP Stadium for next Saturday's fixture against Leighton Town. Crawley Green were delighted with their point and rightly so. They fully deserved it, and despite chances being limited in the second half, they had some good opportunities in the first to have taken the lead. A young side who can only get better; difficult to see why they are bottom of the table.

Rangers Man of the Match: Jack Brooker. Really difficult decision, not one of the teams finest games, but Jack gets the nod for a couple of great saves in the first half that kept us a clean sheet and ultimately, a draw.