Crawley 0 Doncaster Rovers 0: It's a case of spot-kick misery for Fergie's men

Rovers’ leading scorer, John Marquis, with 20 goals to his name this season, was the culprit this time, wasting a perfect opportunity to give his side the lead when he had his 25th-minute penalty saved by Glenn Morris after Mark Connolly brought down Tommy Rowe.

Crawley’s goalkeeper kept out the rebound from Alfie May and had an inspired game as they ended a run of three successive home defeats.

Their best chance came shortly after the break when Joe McNerney forced goalkeeper Tom Lawlor to parry his effort before James Collins put the rebound over.

At the other end, headers from defender Andy Butler and, late on, from substitute Andy Williams were cleared off the line, leaving Rovers to settle for a point which leaves them four clear of Plymouth, who have a game in hand.

“It’s a feeling of real frustration and disappointment with the result,” said Ferguson.

“Frustration mainly because we’ve unfortunately come up against a goalkeeper who was adamant that he was not going to let a goal in today.

“We were completely dominant, in the first half in particularly. It’s six penalties we’ve missed this season which is too many and it’s cost us points.

“If we had got the first goal we would probably have gone on to win comfortably.”

Crawley Town: Morris, Lelan, Connolly, McNerney, Young, Payne, Smith, Boldewijn, Clifford (Murphy 70), Cox, Collins. Unused substitutes: Mersin, Yorwerth, Bawling, Djalo, Henderson.

Doncaster Rovers: Lawlor, Blair, Butler, Baudry, Alcock, Mason, Grant, Rowe, Coppinger (McSheffrey 73), Marquis, May (Williams 68). Unused substitutes: Etheridge, Middleton, Longbottom, Beestin, Evina.

Referee: M Salisbury (Lancashire).