Accrington Stanley narrowly lost to fellow Play-Off hopefuls Crawley Town as they just couldn’t make one of their many chances count.
The Reds tested Town keeper Corey Addai numerous times but couldn’t find a way past him and Harry Ransom’s 68th minute header proved the difference.
Academy product Lewis Trickett made his first senior EFL start as Stanley made three changes to last week’s 1-1 draw at Colchester.
With Seamus Conneely and Josh Woods injured, and Brad Hills suspended, Trickett, Joe Gubbins and Dan Martin came into the starting XI.
Academy striker Anjola Popoola started on the bench for the first time in a League Two game while Cody Adedoyin was also in the squad, after last playing at the end of November.
Jack Nolan and Tommy Leigh had early attempts on target while, on six minutes, Jack Bickerstaff was one-on-one with Addai and tried to chip him but the keeper was equal to it.
Crawley’s first shot on target came on 16 minutes with Radek Vitek collecting top scorer Danilo Orsi’s fierce strike and also denied Nick Tsaroulla a minute later.
Nolan had another effort saved by Addai on 20 minutes and Bickerstaff couldn’t pounce on the loose ball before the Crawley keeper.
Nolan drove another long range shot just wide while, on 34 minutes, a Ben Wood powerful strike from 30 yards looked to be heading into the bottom corner but Addai pushed it away.
Nolan tried his luck straight after the break but the Crawley stopper denied him while Town’s Will Wright’s long range strike wasn’t far off the target.
Sub Ronan Darcy had a shot straight at Vitek while Stanley came so close on 60 minutes when Trickett’s deflected strike almost caught out Addai but the keeper dived to palm it away.
It was Trickett’s last action as he was replaced by Adedoyin on 61 minutes.
Just after Klaidi Lolos charged toward the edge of the area and his low shot was kept out of the bottom corner by Vitek.
Bickerstaff fired over in the area as the game became more open and went from end to end.
Crawley opened the scoring on 68 minutes when Wright’s corner found Ransom and his header went in off the inside of the post.
On 80 minutes both Academy products Leslie Adekoya and Popoola came on and Adedoyin raced into the area and could only find the side netting as Stanley looked for an equaliser.
Adekoya stung the goalkeeper’s hands with a shot and Addai pushed over a close range Adedoyin effort in a crowded penalty area as, despite double figures attempts on goals, the Reds just couldn’t find the breakthrough.
Stanley: Videk, Mellor, Gubbins, Shipley, O’Brien, Martin, B Woods, Trickett (Adedoyin), Leigh (Adekoya), Nolan, Bickerstaff (Popoola)
Subs: McIntyre, Quirk, Patrick, Pickles
Yellow: Leigh, O’Brien
Attendance: 2216 (96 from Crawley)