Last Saturday wasn't the best of starts for Karl Broadhurst, the former Hereford United captain now with Steve Evans at Crawley.
The 29 year old had been training with Bournemouth but he couldn't sign for them as the club is currently banned from taking on new players.
"I got a whack on the head (against Mansfield) and went down," Broadhurst told the Sussex press.
"I understood that if there's a head injury normally you stop the game. I was down for a while but got up when I heard my goalkeeper shouting, I tried to stop it, but it's come off my foot for that first goal.
"I thought we were doing well at the time. Myself and [new signing] Ben Smith have been with the club a while now and we're getting to learn how the gaffer and Paul Raynor want us to play. But we were hit by a sucker punch so early.
"Then there was the third goal which was so offside it was ridiculous!
"We aren't going to make excuses - we were poor. Things have happened but you have to get on with it."