Crawley Town hosts Peterborough United on Tuesday, with a place in the EFL Trophy knockout rounds at stake. The League Two hosts are in second spot in Group E, only above Peterborough due to goal difference. Crawley, who were relegated from the third tier last season, have moved out of the League Two drop zone with back-to-back league victories on either side of their FA Cup exit. They hammered 10-man Bristol Rovers 4-0 in their final outing of October, before a disappointing 3-0 loss to National League Boreham Wood in the FA Cup first round. However, they quickly returned to winning ways in Saturday's home clash against Fleetwood Town, where they saw their opponents reduced to 10 men in the first half for a second consecutive league match. Louis Flower and Harry Forster grabbed a goal apiece, and while they were unable to keep their depleted opponents at bay, they held out to clinch a crucial 2-1 victory, moving them up to 15th spot and a point clear of the drop zone. The hosts may boast a slender goal difference advantage, but they will still need at least a draw and a penalty shootout win to advance to the knockout rounds for the second time in three seasons. Peterborough, who are languishing in the League One drop zone, opted for a change of manager at the end of last month, appointing Luke Williams after deciding to end Darren Ferguson's third spell in charge. The former Notts County boss has sparked an immediate upturn in fortunes, having started his tenure with back-to-back victories without conceding. Posh saw off Cardiff City via a narrow 1-0 scoreline in the FA Cup first round, before they hammered AFC Wimbledon 5-0 in Saturday's outing at the Weston Homes Stadium. Harry Leonard and Gustav Lindgren netted braces alongside a Kyrell Lisbie effort to fire their team to three precious points, moving them to within four points of safety with a game in hand over the teams around them. Crawley Town will be without the services of Danny Cashman, Harry McKirdy, and Harvey Davies, while Scott Malone is unlikely to feature after being forced off in the first half against Fleetwood. Forward Ryan Loft was ruled out of the narrow win through suspension, but he is set to return to the starting lineup for Tuesday's EFL Trophy clash. The visitors are unable to call upon Cian Hayes, George Nevett, and Rio Adams. With the visitors targeting their second win of the competition, they can take confidence from the fact that they have won each of their last six matches against Crawley, including an entertaining 4-3 victory in April's away meeting. Crawley Town's recent form has been a mixed bag, but they will be looking to build on their recent league successes and reach the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy. Peterborough United, on the other hand, will be seeking to continue their upturn in fortunes under new manager Luke Williams. The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams having a lot to play for. And with the hosts needing at least a draw to advance, they will be looking to put in a strong performance in front of their home crowd. But Peterborough's recent form suggests they will not be easy to beat, and the match could go either way. So, it will be interesting to see how the two teams match up on Tuesday.