Reds made a great start with a ninth-minute goal by Jon-Paul Pittman and then gained an immediate boost when the Gulls' former Town skipper Tyrone Thompson was sent-off a minute later for a two-footed challenge.

Reds pushed home their advantage with two more goals from the penalty spot in each half put away confidently by Thomas Pinault and substitute Jamie Cook.

Torquay briefly came back into the game at the start of the second half with a goal by Roscoe D'Sane but the three points were sealed by Cook's 76th minute penalty.

Evans said: "We put Torquay through the wringer throughout the whole match except for a 10-minute spell when they scored their goal.

"Tyrone Thompson is a young man I have the utmost respect for but the challenge on Lewis Killeen was ridiculous and he deserved to go. And Matt Green as well for his left hook on Adam Quinn.

"If we can play like against Stevenage on Monday like we have done today then we can get a result."



FULL-TIME score Crawley Town 3 Torquay Utd 1

90mins - 4 added minutes

87mins - Pittman is named Crawley Observer Man of the Match.

86mins - SUBSTITUTION (Crawley) Isaiah Rankin replaces Jon-Paul Pittman.

84mins - SUBSTITUTIONS (Crawley) Glenn Wilson replaces Brad Thomas and (Torquay) Elliot Benyon replaces Roscoe D'Sane.

80mins - SUBSTITUTION (Torquay) Steve Adams replaces Chris Hargreaves.

78mins - YELLOW CARD (Pittman) for a swipe on an opponent.

76mins GOAL (Crawley)(3-1) Jamie COOK scores just moments after coming on the field with Town's second penalty of the afternoon, awarded for Michael Brough's handball in the area when trying to control a long pass under pressure from Pittman.

74mins - SUBSTITUTION (Crawley) Jamie Cook replaces Danny Forrest.

71mins - Keeper Michael Poke grabs the ball from the feet of Brad Thomas who is hassled by the Torquay defence as he runs into the six-yard box to receive a cross.

66mins - Crawley go so close to adding a possible third goal when a free-kick by Adam Quinn is moved on by Thomas Pinault towards Lewis Killeen a couple of yards from goal but despite lunging himself at the ball, he cannot reach it and it rolls into touch.

57mins - Torquay have not given up hopes of taking something from the game as a free-kick by Lee Hodges finds the head of the unmarked Chris Hargreaves and the ball flies over the crossbar.

55mins - Crawley's Pittman takes a thunderous 20-yard shot which is tipped over the bar by Torquay keeper Michael Poke.

49mins - GOAL (Torquay) (2-1) Roscoe D'SANE volleys in first time from a flicked-on long throw.

48mins - YELLOW CARD (Torquay) Roscoe D'Sane is boooked for a foul.

47mins - Simon Weatherstone shoots wide from the edge of the area.

46mins - SUBSTITUTION (Torquay) Tim Sills replaces Matt Green up front.

2nd half:

Crawley Town go into the second half of their home game against Torquay truly in the driving seat with a 2-0 lead and the visitors reduced to 10 men after Tyrone Thompson was sent-off for a two-footed challenge on Lewis Killeen.

Jon-Paul Pittman gave Reds the lead in the ninth minute when he met a ball from the right by Brad Thomas perfectly and netted from the left side of goal.

Things went from bad to worse for Torquay when Thompson was sent-off a minute later.

Town ended the half on a high when Thomas Pinault comfortably drilled home a penalty on the half hour awarded when Lee Mansell fouled skipper Dannie Bulman in the penalty area.

45+2mins - Adam Quinn and Matt Green were both booked after Green went into a challenge with his elbow and Quinn retaliated. Both received a long chat from the ref after players gathered around and start pushing each other.

45mins - 3 added minutes

38mins - Torquay go on the attack down the right but Wayne Carlisle's attempt from the edge of the area was well-blocked by Same Rents.

30mins - GOAL (Crawley) (2-0). Thomas Pinault effortlessly powers the ball into the net from the penalty spot after Lee Mansell brought down Dannie Bulman in the area. Mansell was booked for the incident, which came when Simon Weatherstone lifted a free-kick across from the right.

27mins - Torquay have their first shot of the match when Matt Green backheels to Roscoe D'Sane who fires wildly wide of the left post.

10mins - RED CARD (Torquay) Former Crawley Town captain Tyrone Thompson is sent-off for a dangerous challenge on Lewis Killeen, who then needed treatment on the field. Staight red card as Torquay are reduced to 10 men.

9mins - GOAL (Crawley) 1-0 Jon-Paul PITTMAN put away first time from the left of goal after new signing Adam Quinn headed on a free-kick by Brad Thomas.

5mins - Torquay have a couple of crosses into the area which are dealt with by the Reds' defence.

Steve Evans handed a home debut to new signing Adam Quinn, a centre-back who was bought last week from Halifax for £5,000.

Reds made one change to the starting XI which lost 1-0 away to Forest Green Rovers last Saturday. Brad Thomas replaced Glenn Wilson in at right-back.

Torquay made five changes to the side which lost 2-0 at home to Ebbsfleet Utd on Monday, bringing in Michael Brough, Lee Hodges, Matt Green, Roscoe D'Sane and Mustapha Carayol.

REDS: Rayner, Rents, Weatherstone, Wright, Forrest, Bulman, Pinault, Thomas, Killeen, Pittman, Quinn. Subs: J.Stevens, Cook, Wilson, Rankin, Carter

GULLS: Poke, Mansell, Brough, Hargeaves, Nicholson, Carlisle, Thompson, Hodges, Green, D'Sane, Carayol. Subs: Sills, Benyon, D.Stevens, Adams, Ellis

REFEREE: Darren Sheldrake

ATT: 1,134

OBSERVER MAN OF THE MATCH: Jon-Paul Pittman