Reds carved out a great chance to take the lead in the ninth minute when Jon-Paul Pittman was handed a chance to shoot by opposing 'keeper Nicky Eyre, who slid while advancing to challenge the Town striker.

His eventual shot from a tight angle was cleared off the line by Jamie Stuart.

There were few good chances from either side, although Grays did threaten when Barry Hogan had a header which went into the top of the net and the menacing Danny Kedwell blasted over the bar from distance.

Defender Jamie Stevens was substituted just before half-time, suffering from a pulled groin.

Pittman made amends for his earlier disappointment in added time at the end of the first half when he went on a run down the left, beat Stuart for speed and lobbed Eyre to give Crawley the lead.

The game was decided by three second-half penalty incidents, one of which was turned down for Crawley and two which were awarded to Grays.

The first came 10 minutes after the break when Pierre Joseph-Dubois was brought down in the area by Stuart, which clearly looked to be inside the area.

However the appeal for a spot-kick was turned down as the referee later reportedly told Evans he thought it had happened outside the box.

Evans nearly blew a fuse on the touchline as his side's appeal was brushed aside.

The home side equalised after 75 minutes with the first of two penalties which were awarded.

Danny Kedwell put way from the penalty spot after James Krause had brought him down - a controversial decision which was later disputed by Evans.

While this was going on there was a disturbance when Evans entered into an exchange with a spectator who shouted out at him from the stand. However the fourth official and a steward got involved and Evans, who has been sent to the stand six times so far this season, managed to stay on the pitch, while the spectator - a Grays official - was warned.

It was a game neither side deserved to lose but it ebbed away further from Crawley's grasp with yet more bad luck when a second penalty was given in the 83rd minute, for a shirt pull by Kieran Murphy on O'Connor.

There was very little time for the Reds to respond, but they did almost find the net off virtually the last kick of the game in the 95th minute when Murphy struck a well-hit volley onto the crossbar.

New loan signing Ryan Hall, a winger from Crystal Palace, enjoyed a good game on his debut as Evans made four changes to the side which lost 4-0 to Kidderminster on Thursday night.

Hall was joined in the starting line-up by Lee Blackburn, Murphy and Joseph-Dubois.

Bradley Thomas and Jamie Cook were dropped to the bench, while Glenn Wilson and Mustapha Carayol were both ruled out through injury.

REDS: Bayes, Thompson, Stevens, Blackburn, Hall, Bulman, Pittman, Pinault, Murphy, Joseph-Dubois, Krause.
Subs: Thomas, Cook, Carter, Nayee, Raynor

GRAYS: Eyre, Gross, Stuart, Downer, Thurgood, O'Connor, Kedwell, Ashton, Cogan, McCafferty, Taylor
Subs: Whincup, Taylor. Goulding, Woodward, Standing

REF: D.Cook
ATT: 853 (49 away)
OBSERVER MAN OF THE MATCH: Ryan Hall

Updates (second half)

46mins - SUBSTITUTION (Grays) Former Crawley Town striker Jamie Taylor, who comes from Crawley, replaces namesake upfront Scott Taylor.

54mins - Grays' Aaron O'Connor shoots over the bar.

55mins - Steve Evans complains vehemently to the fourth offical after a penalty appeal is turned down when Joseph-Dubois is brought down in the area by Jamie Stuart.

75mins - GOAL (Grays) 1-1 - Danny KEDWELL from the penalty spot after Krause brings him down in the area.

75mins - At the same time as the penalty was getting ready to be taken, there is a disturbance at the Crawley dug-out as Evans is shouted at from the stand by a Grays' coach. The fourth official and a steward is involved and the spectator is warned.

83mins GOAL (Grays) 2-1 - KEDWELL gives Grays the lead again from the penalty spot after Murphy pulls the shirt of Aaron O'Connor. YELLOW CARD - James Krause for arguing with the ref.

90mins - Five minutes of added time to be played.

90+4mins - YELLOW CARD - Simon Downer (Grays) (foul)

95mins - Crawley nearly grab a last minute equaliser when Murphy hits a volley from the left which bounces off the crossbar.

96mins - O'Connor has a shot from 12 yards which is well saved by Bayes.

FULL-TIME: Grays Athletic 2 Crawley Town 1


Updates: (first half)

7mins - Grays go close when Danny Kedwell has two efforts blocked by Crawley defender Kieran Murphy after Ashley Bayes missed a cross.

9mins - Pittman has a chance from Crawley's first attack when Grays keeper Nicky Eyre advanced and slipped past the ball at the byline, leaving Pittman space to shoot from close-range. His shot from a tight angle was cleared off the line by Jamie Stuart.

22mins - YELLOW CARD (Grays) Neil McCafferty (foul)

35mins - Grays have two attempts on goal, Barry Cogan heading into the roof of the net and Kedwell blasted over the bar from the edge of the box.

42mins - SUBSTITUTION (Crawley) Brad Thomas replaces Jamie Stevens. Immediately he is thrust into action as Kedwell goes on a run to the byline. He crosses and finds Adam Gross, who fires well over from 30 yards.

45mins - Two added minutes of added time.

45+1mins - GOAL (Crawley) 1-0 Jon-Paul PITTMAN scored from a superb piece of individual skill and speed, outpacing Jamie Stuart and then lobbing 'keeper Eyre from just inside the area.

HALF-TIME: Grays Athletic 0 Crawley Town 1