Beesley joined the U's from Forest Green in January 2008

Cambridge United striker Mark Beesley believes the U's have the forward talent to cover for the loss of Scott Rendell back to Peterborough.

Rendell scored eight times during his loan spell from Posh, but has now returned to London Road.

Beesley told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "Scott did well and was disappointed to go back, but the remaining strikers need to grasp the nettle.

"I've haven't really played for two months, so I'm hoping to get the nod."

The U's pulled out of a deal to keep Rendell on loan until the end of the season leaving Beesley, Danny Crow and Chris Holroyd to compete for places up front.

Holroyd had developed a decent partnership with Rendell over recent weeks and would look to be boss Gary Brabin's first-choice forward.

"Crawley are a decent team and they've signed a couple of players over the past few weeks who are League players," he said.

"But hopefully we can get a win and progress because it's a decent cup to go far in."

Daryl McMahon, who signed from Stevenage on Tuesday, was not registered in time to play against Crawley.

However the U's may choose to hand a debut to academy youngster Sam Ives, 17, who has been promoted into the first-team squad for the match.

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