Crawley boss Scott Lindsey felt his relegation-threatened side were worthy of maximum points after a 1-1 League Two home draw with Doncaster left them two points above second-bottom Hartlepool with a game in hand.
A late goal from substitute Rafiq Khaleel – his first for the club – rescued a point for the Reds after Caolan Lavery headed Rovers in front in first-half stoppage-time with his first goal for the club.
Lindsey felt his men were good value as they searched for a third-successive victory and said: “You can’t play that well in a relegation battle and only get one point.
“We are so disappointed because we were completely dominant – I think we had at least 60 per cent possession.
“I think they had one effort on goal 10 seconds before half-time and we have to deal with a free-kick better than that.
“But we were very good on the ball and created so many chances. We are disappointed we didn’t come away with all three points.”
Lindsey is anxious to pick up as many wins as quickly as possible to avoid any last-day drama and he admitted the players were “a bit despondent” about the result.
He added: “They are desperate to get out of the mess we are in. I know their work ethic and it’s been outstanding. We want to get three points in every game we play in.”
Doncaster are now eight points adrift of the final play-off spot with nine games remaining but boss Danny Schofield refused to admit that their chance had gone.
He said: “We will keep going until it is mathematically impossible. We will keep fighting and see what happens.
“Every game is a must-win and the players put their bodies on the line in this one.”
Schofield was full of praise for the way former Scunthorpe forward Lavery took his goal, but was disappointed with the lax way in which Rovers conceded the equaliser.
He added: “It was an excellent delivery and a great goal – a typical number nine’s goal.
“But I was disappointed with the goal we conceded with it being from a distance.
“Crawley will think they deserved it and I guess it was a fair point overall for the effort and fight we put in. It was deserved.”
Rovers have now only won one of their last seven games and Schofield admitted it was “very unlikely” any of his injured players would return for Saturday’s home clash against Northampton.
