Crawley Town slipped quietly out of the FA Trophy after a 2-1 third round defeat at Hayes.

Dejected Reds boss Billy Smith said: "We started and finished the game well, and they admitted we murdered them in the second half.

"The free-kick given for their second goal was supposed to be indirect for an obstruction so that worked against us.

"We were camped in their half for much of the second half but I felt Hayes bullied us a little and that the referee was weak."

Crawley had to make do without the suspended Marc Pullan, so Ben Judge joined Ellis Hooper at centre back.

Dave Stevens and Barry Moore were keen to make an impression against their old club and Stevens pulled a shot into the side-netting after just five minutes.

Former Reds midfielder Dean Clark hit back at the other end with a drive which flew just wide.

On 14 minutes, both former Hayes players were involved in Reds' opener as Moore's fierce drive was spilt by keeper Bertrand Bossu and Stevens touched the rebound on to Nic McDonnell, who had an easy tap-in.

A fine save from Andy Little preserved Crawley's lead six minutes later as he got down low to keep out Clark's shot.

It was the ever dangerous Clark who thundered home Hayes' 25th minute leveller after Ian Hodge had back-heeled a Mark Molesley cross.

The match and the crowd were both reaching boiling point by half time, and when Moore went down claiming to be head-butted by Peter Holsgrove, matters almost got out of hand.

The pair were both booked, with home supporters claiming Moore was feigning injury.

Two minutes before the break, Hayes took a 2-1 lead as Kevin Warner curled a superb free-kick past Little.

Nigel Brake came on for the injured Neil Le Bihan before the interval as Reds tried to rescue the game.

The second half began much more slowly but there remained a tense atmosphere between the two sides.

On 55 minutes, the visitors went close as Bossu made a one-handed save to keep out McDonnell's header.

The game continued to be niggly and both teams were lucky to keep 11 players on the pitch.

Hayes could have extended their lead in the 74th minute as Clark was denied by Little and Ernie Cooksey cleared Hodge's follow-up off the line.