An afternoon to forget for the Reds, as their home unbeaten run ends at the hands of a rampant Carlisle.
Rhys Bennett bundled in the opener in a quiet first-half, before Josh Kayode converted from close range to double Carlisle’s advantage.
Aaron Hayden forced in a scrappy third for the visitors, and David Sesay was sent off late on when, as the last man, he brought down Omari Patrick.
Jake Hesketh returned to the starting line-up following his three-match ban, while Max Watters dropped to the bench.
The first clear-cut chance of the game fell to Josh Kayode, following a deflected cross, but Kayode’s poked effort lacked the power to beat Glenn Morris from close range.
Tom Nichols headed wide following an excellent first-touch and cross from Doherty, as the match began to pick up.
Carlisle dominated possession and nearly found the opener when Kayode set up Lewis Alessandra, whose first-time strike from outside the box flew inches wide of the post.
Alessandra threatened again when he brought the ball down well, before sending a low drive towards the bottom corner, which was held by Morris.
On the stroke of halftime the Cumbrians’ dominance finally paid off, as Gime Toure’s low effort from the edge of the box was stopped by Morris, but Rhys Bennett was there to eventually force the ball underneath the goalkeeper, scoring on his full league debut on the 44th minute.
It was a better second-half from the Reds, but they couldn’t stop Carlisle doubling their lead after a great low cross from George Tanner was poked in at the near-post by Josh Kayode, as the Cumbrians got their second of the afternoon on the 55th minute.
Carlisle nearly got a third soon after, when Aaron Hayden headed a corner back across goal, which was headed off the line well by David Sesay.
Eventually, the Cumbrians did get their third, when Alessandra’s close-range effort was saved by Morris, with Aaron Hayden following in, forcing the ball home on the 63rd minute.
Omari Patrick was denied by a fantastic goal-line block from Sesay, as Carlisle continued to dominate.
A miserable afternoon for the Reds was complete, when Patrick charged down the middle of the pitch towards goal, with David Sesay taking him out as the last man, which saw him receive a straight red-card, in the 81st minute,
Crawley: Morris, Doherty, McNerney, Powell, Nadesan, Davies (Sesay 45’), Nichols, Craig, Allarakhia (Frost 71’), Hesketh, Hessenthaler (Watters 64’)
Carlisle: Farman, Tanner, Anderton, Hayden, Riley (Armer 90’), Guy, Alessandra (Reilly 90’), Mellish (Devine 88’), Kayode, Toure (Patrick 73’), Bennett
