RENE Gilmartin is hoping to stay longer than the initial month he was signed for, as he longs to be playing regular first team football.

The 24-year-old shot-stopper signed on loan from Watford on Thursday and went straight into the starting line-up for Sunday's FA Cup clash against Stoke City, with Michel Kuipers warming the bench. Kuipers had replaced the injured Scott Shearer in last Tuesday's 3-0 defeat at Swindon.

And Gilmartin is hoping to hold onto his place for tonight's (Wednesday's) game against Morecambe and beyond.

"That is what I do, that is what players do, we want to play in the team for as long as we can," Gilmartin explained with a strong Irish accent. "My performances will hopefully keep me in the team and the great thing about it is I do have pressure. Michel is a top keeper and so I just need to keep my game sharp and hopefully stay in the team.

"I've signed for a month initially and hopefully my performances will keep me here longer than that."

Gilmartin was already familiar with Pablo Mills (at Walsall) and Billy Clarke (Republic of Ireland U21s) but insists it was Steve Evans who persuaded him to join Crawley Town.

"It was just me and the gaffer. The gaffer rang me and we had a good chat and he told me what he was looking for," the keeper said.

"He didn't tell me I'd start because obviously Michel is here and an outstanding keeper. But he just said to come down and train, do well, and we'll give you games according to that.

"That gave me that chance to impress and hopefully that is what I've done. Being a part of a club like this that is going places, going in the right direction and seeing how supportive the fans are, that was why I made the decision.

"There was interest from elsewhere but these decisions are massive for me. Obviously from the outside looking in, people might think it is an easy decision, but it is a tough decision because you have to go somewhere you think you are going to play or have a good chance of playing."

And Gilmartin believes that Stoke will feel they were lucky to secure the 2-0 win on Sunday.

"I didn't have much to do. The majority of the game was in their half it has to be said," Gilmartin explained. "I thought we were outstanding in the first half, even 11 versus 11, we were on top of them.

"It just shows what Crawley are all about; they didn't have a second on the ball and I'm sure they were sat in the dressing room thinking 'phew we might have got away with that one'."

Having previously played for Walsall, Watford and Yeovil Town, Gilmartin has no experience of League Two but is eager to get stuck in.

"It would have been great to go through in the FA Cup, but Wednesday; three points is vital there," he said. "I haven't played in League Two before. I've played most of my games in League One and a few in the Championship this year. I wasn't worried about dropping down though; playing games is all I want to do.

"I'll enjoy my career if I'm playing games. If I work so hard and don't play it does disappoint me. That is all I want to do; enjoy my life and play football."