Carlisle United 1 Crawley Town 1: Sub Lewis Alessandra returned from injury to save a point for the Blues with a dramatic injury-time goal.

The striker, making his first appearance since November, met a Brennan Dickenson corner with a clinical header in the 93rd minute.

It was the frontman's first goal of the season - and it was enough to force a draw for the Cumbrians after Blues old boy Ashley Nadesan had given Crawley the lead.

Nadesan later missed a penalty before Keith Millen's side staged their late fightback in front of 4,350 fans at Brunton Park.

The Blues' winning run and clean sheet sequence ended, but Alessandra's goal means they are unbeaten in four league games and, though they dropped a place to 20th, they are now seven point above the League Two relegation zone.

Alessandra had come off the bench in the 84th minute for Jack Armer as he returned from a foot injury, and it was his first goal in 18 appearances this term.

United boss Millen kept faith with the same XI that started last weekend's victory over Bradford City, while Crawley's manager John Yems was absent for personal reasons, assistant Lee Bradbury taking charge of the visitors.

His side included one change, Joel Lynch replacing the injured Ludwig Francillette, with new signing Caleb Watts on the bench.

Crawley threatened in the opening stages through Tom Nichols, before Armer was just short of meeting a ball into the visitors' box.

A cross at the other end narrowly evaded Sam Matthews, before the Sussex side struck the woodwork when James Tilley's shot beat Mark Howard's dive but struck the outsid of the post.

United had their moments going forward but lacked composure in the final third. Matthews almost went through for Crawley before the Red Devils took the lead on 25 minutes.

And it was former Blues man Nadesan with it, as he took advantage of a Morgan Feeney error to go through and slot clinically past Howard.

Dickenson wasted a chance to level two minutes later when he pulled a shot tamely wide from a good position.

Later, Mellish latched onto a Tyrese Omotoye lay-off and charged down the left before cutting in and seeing a shot blocked.

Crawley, though, were having the better of things and often outnumbering the Bues in key areas, and almost doubled their lead when Nadesan saw a near-post finish turned against the post.

The striker then headed just over after the visitors attacked down an under-protected United left side.

Carlisle's passing grew further ragged as they struggled to take any control of things, while Nichols and Corey Whelan were both booked for late sliding challenges - as was Omotoye for a foul after the young loanee had failed to make the most of a chance down the left.

Millen switched Jordan Gibson and Dickenson to left and right respectively at the break, and the latter came close to equalising when his 30-yard shot dipped against the top of the Crawley crossbar in the 49th minute.

The visitors then almost added a second when a diagonal ball found Matthews, but his shot hit the side-netting.

Millen sent on Omari Patrick for Whelan in the 56th minute and then sub, who lifted the crowd with his arrival, was denied an immediate goal by Crawley defenders after being picked out over the top.

Dickenson then forced a save from Morris with a low shot from 25 yards, the rebound just falling out of Gibson's reach.

Patrickalmost set up a chance for Omotoye on 70 minutes, Blues fans aggrieved when they were penalised in the penalty-box melee that resulted.

And Crawley could then have put things to bed when Tilley, having seen a shot parried by Howard, went down as he went past Armer, the Blues furious as ref Darren Bond pointed to the spot.

But Nadesan fired the penalty high over the bar at the Waterworks End to keep his former club in the game.

Carlisle still struggled to create clear chances as they hunted a leveller, Patrick seeing a cross chested back to Morris by the impressive Lynch.

Millen sent on Tristan Abrahams and 32-year-old Alessandra for the closing five minutes - and the latter had a chance to level in the 90th minute when picked out by Dickenson.

The sub's shot was saved by Morris - but then he saved United in the 93rd minute when he peeled onto Dickenson's corner and buried a header past Morris.

Crawley had a chance to win it on the break with a final attack but Howard saved from sub Reece Grego-Cox.

United: Howard, Mellor, Armer (Alessandra 85), McDonald, Feeney, Guy, Whelan (Patrick 56), Dickenson, Gibson, Mellish, Omotoye (Abrahams 85). Not used: Norman, Devine, Riley, Senior.

Goals: Alessandra 90.

Booked: Whelan, Omotoye.

Crawley: Morris, Francomb, Craig, Lynch, Powell, Tsaroulla, Tilley, Payne, Matthews (Watts 63, Davies 81), Nichols (Grego-Cox 72), Nadesan. Not used: Seymour, Frost, Marshall.

Goals: Nadesan 25.

Booked: Nichols, Payne.

Ref: Darren Bond.

Crowd: 4,350 (76 Crawley fans).