JOHN Akinde has been thrown into the starting line up for Crawley’s crucial visit to Shrewsbury Town in League 2 tonight.
The striker has yet to score for the Reds in 21 appearances since signing from Bristol City, and this is his first start since the trip to Oxford on January 2, as Steve Evans names an attacking line up.
New recruit Shaun Batt, a loan signing from Millwall is on the bench, while Josh Simpson comes in for Sergio Torres, and Charlie Wassmer is expected to partner Pablo Mills in defence in his first start since the 3-0 home defeat to Swindon in September. He replaces Claude Davis, who is on international duty with Jamaica.
Shrewsbury, meanwhile, have made just the one change to the team which was beaten 2-1 at Swindon last Tuesday, with Jermaine Grandison dropping to the bench in favour of Shane Cansdell-Sherriff.
Shrewsbury: Chris Neal, Joe Jacobson, Ian Sharps, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Mark Wright, James Collins, Matt Richards, Carl Regan, Dave McAllister, Jon Taylor, Terry Gornell.
Subs: Ben Smith, Jermaine Grandison, Nicky Wroe, Marvin Morgan, Lionel Ainsworth.
Crawley: Rene Gilmartin, Dean Howell, Pablo Mills, Kyle McFadzean, Charlie Wassmer, Hope Akpan, Josh Simpson, Dannie Bulman, Sanchez Watt, Billy Clarke, John Akinde.
Subs: Michel Kuipers, Sergio Torres, Karl Hawley, Shaun Batt, Scott Neilson.