Reds made it seven League One games unbeaten with a narrow but deserved victory over high-flying Bradford City.
Emile Sinclair's excellent second half finish proved the difference between the two sides as Crawley won their third consecutive game against the Bantams.
Reds had to make do without striker Billy Clarke and defender James Hurst through injury and suspension respectively. Emile Sinclair partnered Jamie Proctor up front in place of the absent Clarke whilst Josh Simpson slotted into Hurst's vacant right back slot.
The hosts began positively, and when Andy Drury won a corner the former Ipswich man neatly found Mike Jones lurking on the edge of the box but Jones sent his strike over the stand after just three minutes.
On 10 minutes, the visitors created their first chance. Good wing play from Kyel Reid saw the former West Ham player find James Hanson and the striker's knockdown picked out Mark Yeates, who saw his drive fly over the bar.
Just three minutes later and the visitors had a great chance to break the deadlock. Yeates' cross wasn't dealt with and Garry Thompson cleared the Bruce Winfield Stand un-marked from just six yards out.
Up at the other end Jamie Proctor wriggled from of his marker, but the striker couldn't get the right curl on his effort and it was comfortable for Jon McLaughlin to deal with.
On 18 minutes Proctor had another chance, this time taking the shot on his left in the box but McLaughlin spread himself well to get the block in.
Thompson had his second opportunity of the game on 24 minutes, latching onto Gary Jones' dink into the box, Thompson lobbed the ball over Paul Jones, but fortunately for Reds over the crossbar, too.
Lovely play from Crawley resulted in the their best chance of the game tp date after 36 minutes. Drury and the overlapping Simpson combined, the right back's low cross was dummied by Sinclair to Nicky Adams, but his effort was deflected inches wide of McLaughlin's left-hand post.
Next up to have a strike at the Bantams goal was the marauding Jones. Mat Sadler's perfect cross was touched back to Jones by Sinclair, but the resulting shot was sliced wide.
The first chance of the second half resulted in the deadlock being broken by SINCLAIR after 52 minutes. Drury picking up his seventh assist of the campaign when he slid the ball through to Sinclair, who ran on to shoot past McLaughlin, notching his first home league goal, and with it, extending Crawley's record of scoring to 16 consecutive league games.
Reds tails were up and moments later Adams found a way through but his left-footed effort fell into the grateful gloves of McLaughlin.
On the hour, a defensive mix-up in the Bradford defence saw Proctor pick the ball up and advance with it before his placed effort agonisingly deflected off Matthew Bates.
Intelligent play from Proctor found Drury rampaging down the left just four minutes later, but the winger's fiercly struck effort was thumped against McLaughlin and away from danger.
Moments later and Jones did excellently to tip Reid's rasping drive over his bar as the Bantams searched for an equalising goal.
Adams was the orchestrator once more as Drury's cross deceived McLaughlin and skimmed off the top of the bar on 65 minutes as Reds looked to add a second.
The impressive Proctor tried his luck again with 20 minutes of the game remaining, taking on Stephen Darby but his snapshot was straight at the visitors' 'keeper McLaughlin.
After his goal, Sinclair was playing with confidence and his effort was heading for the bottom corner until McLaughlin got a strong palm on his strike on 73 minutes.
With seven minutes remaining, Hanson let fly for Phil Parkinson's side, but his dipping volley went just over Jones' crossbar.
In injury time, Rory McArdle's deft header was saved expertly by Jones and McFadzean hacked clear as Reds dug deep to protect the three points.
That was to be the visitors' final chance of an enthralling game as Crawley rose to eighth in League One with a hard fought win