Port Vale assistant manager Andy Crosby felt the half-time message to stay calm against the 10 men of Crawley was vital in them eventually running out 4-1 winners at Broadfield Stadium, saying some of his side’s second-half play was “outstanding”.

Crawley were forced to play with a man less from just the 12th minute when veteran centre-back Joel Lynch received a straight red card following an off-the-ball incident with Nathan Smith.

Striker Kwesi Appiah put the Reds ahead against the run of play with his fourth goal in five games shortly before the break, but then Vale took control and Tom Conlon’s free-kick pulled them level four minutes after the re-start.

Tom Pett shot through a crowded area to put the visitors ahead, and George Francomb’s own goal and David Amoo’s late strike sealed the convincing win.

Crosby said: “The sending off affected us more than it did them and it was frustrating.

“Crawley scored from their one attack in the first half, but the message at half-time was to stay calm.

“The competition for places is probably the best it’s been for a long while, and we looked a real threat going forward.

“We’ve had about a third of the season and there is still things to work on.

“Some of our play in the second half was outstanding; we were good to watch and are in a good place.”

This is the first time since head coach John Yems took charge nearly two years ago that Crawley have lost four successive league games, and he was unhappy with the goals they conceded.

He said: “We got beat with four stupid goals, but Port Vale are second in the league and they know they’ve been in a game. But the four goals were preventable.”

Yems, who said he did not see the sending off incident, added: “I’m told he (Lynch) just wrestled with him. It was 10 minutes into the game – why didn’t he just book him?

“I don’t want to go on about officials, but they can ruin a game for both sides. But it was nothing to do with officials that we got beat that’s for sure.

“I told them here at the start of the season we’re in a dog fight, now it’s an even bigger dog fight and we’re only a poodle.”