‘Something that we had been working on’ - Crawley Town boss impressed with fighting spirit and impact off the bench in Chesterfield draw

Kazim-Richards was particularly impressed with the amount of duels his side won both on the ground and aerially and the ability to land on second balls.

The Reds boss also noted how his side competed with the physicality of Chesterfield, who also like to dominate possession just like Crawley.

Kazim-Richards said: “That is something that we had been working on in this two week reset, but it is also something specifically that we wanted to be at the start of the season. For whatever reason, we haven’t been able to be that, but today we definitely was that.

“It just so happens in games that you concede, and it sounds weird, but I thought we conceded at the right times. It allowed us to get back in the game.

“You never want to concede, but what we did do was win every duel. That was something that was a ‘big’ small win that was specific to us today, and I thought we did it really well.”

The former Derby County striker had a few words to say on the importance of squad depth and how players have to make an impact off the bench.

The Reds found themselves trailing 2-0 in the 56th minute before Italian striker Di Biase was brought on in the 59th minute and instantly made an impact, converting from the spot in the 61st minute to half the deficit and then bringing his side level five minutes later.

Kazim-Richards said: “For me it is massive, the team is a squad over the whole season, like no team in history will go and win or do well with eleven players. It's a squad and my thing is this – if you aren’t making an impact what are you here for?

“That is specific to the position you play in. So, if you come on at centre-back, you might score from a corner, but that’s not your impact to make. That’s a bonus - stop goals, win your duels, blocks, be aggressive, compete.

“Every position is different, but you have to make an impact and I thought that all the guys that came on made an impact.”

The Reds boss made an admission about how his side learn and what he admired about the new side that his team showed yesterday afternoon.

The head coach said: “We have a young squad and this generation is, ‘I need to see it to believe it’ or ‘show me don’t tell me’. When I was growing up it was, ‘do as I say not as I do’.

“This generation is very different, which is not right or wrong. So, I believe that they had to do it first to really believe that they could do it and they were capable to do it, and the game on Tuesday [against Bromley] was perfect for us.

“I don’t know, if we were not to have had that game, whether that would have came out today. In terms of that, I think it is there now. There is no reason for it not to be, and it will be a springboard again to go on and push now.”