Billy Smith's team welcomed Conference side Dagenham to a wet Broadfield Stadium in the second round proper of the FA Cup.

The stadium was full to the rafters with a sell-out 5,000 fans crammed in.

Smith was boosted by the return of a quartet of players who had shrugged off injuries.

Ellis Hooper (shin), Mo Harkin (groin), Neil Le Bihan (knee) and Nic McDonnell (calf) were all named in the home team's starting line-up as the Reds attempted to reach the third round of the competition for the first time since 1992.

The hero of the last round, Warren Bagnall, who scored a dramatic last-gasp winner in the 3-2 replay win over Tiverton, was on the bench.

Top scorer McDonnell, who was a substitute in Wednesday's 1-1 draw at home with Chippenham got the nod in attack with Dave Stevens.

But the biggest plus for the home team was the return of Le Bihan who passed a late fitness test on his knee.

The visitors were also at full strength although striker Mark Stein had to settle for a place on the bench alongside Albion loanee Geoff Pitcher.

Smith sprung a suprise by electing to play with a 3-5-2 formation which was designed to stifle the visitors.

Dagenham kicked off but Crawley were quickly on the attack and Peter Fear played a good ball over the top for McDonnell, whose cross from the left had to be punched clear by Tony Roberts in the first minute.

Ernie Cooksey got clattered in the process and there was an early break in play when the Crawley wing back received treatment.

Crawley took the lead in the third minute when Marc Pullan danced his way out of defence and passed to Peter Fear who played a great ball out to McDonnell on the left.

The Reds' ten-goal marksman cut inside and curled a right foot finish into the net for his fifth FA. Cup goal of the campaign.

Dagenham, playing in their changed blue and white kit, responded two minutes later when Steve West headed a free kick over and West had another chance from John McGrath's corner but he shot wide.

Crawley had an escape in the 14th minute when Mark Janney tricked his way past Hooper and Cooksey and went down under the challenge from the Crawley centre back but referee Steven Tanner decided the foul occured outside of the area although the Dagenham player ended up face down in the box.

McGrath curled the resulting free kick harmlessly wide.

Fear went in the book in the 18th minute for a blatant foul on McGrath when he raced clear down the left.

Dagenham deservedly equalised in the 25th minute when Paul Terry swung over a free kick from the left which found its way to former Albion striker Junior McDougald at the back who hooked in a shot high into the net past Little.

Dagenham were a real threat from set pieces and three minutes before half time Terry again found West whose header had Andy Little scampering across his goal line to cover.

Crawley broke quickly with Harkin on the right and his cross was met first time by McDonnell with a right foot volley at the near post, but his effort went just wide.

The hosts won a free kick just inside the Dagenham half after a push on McDonnell which Fear curled to Le Bihan at the back post but his downward header was comfortably gathered by Roberts.

After the break Crawley were attacking the Town Mead end where the majority of their fans were and the decibel level noticably rose.

Harkin saw a lot of the ball but Roberts was not troubled by his two crosses.

Crawley won their third corner of the game and Fear was again involved when he found Judge whose cross was knocked behind.

At the other end Danny Shipp forced Little into a good save low to his right which Cooksey hacked behind to clear his line.

Former West Ham man Steve Potts went in the book in the 57th minute for a crude foul on Stevens as Crawley broke.

Shipp went close with a header in the 61st minute from West's cross out on the right.

Dagenham got on top as the half wore on and they really should have taken the lead in the 62nd minute when Potts' long ball was headed on by West and Terry dragged a right foot shot wide from just outside the six-yard box.

Then a minute later Janney blazed over the bar at the back post after McDougald squared the ball across goal.

The visitors skipper Lee Matthew was cautioned in the 64th minute for a foul and Crawley's Ellis Hooper was also yellow carded for a similar offence two minutes later.

Kevin Hemsley came on for Holmes in the 70th minute and slotted in at the back.

West became Dagenham's third yellow card victim in the 71st minute for another foul.

With 15 minutes remaining McDonnell nearly made it 2-1 with a diving header following Stevens' excellent cross from the right.

Crawley were reduced to ten men in the 78th minute when Hooper picked up his second yellow card of the match for a foul on McGrath near the touchline and the ex-Horsham YMCA player looked disconsolant as he trudged off the pitch.

Hooper's dismissal necessitated a Crawley substitution and defender Ian Payne came on for Harkin.

Dagenham scored three minutes from time when Cooksey slipped in the box and Janney capitalised by rounding the Crawley defender and skipping past two challenges before planting a low left foot effort under Little.

Smith immediately chucked on substitute Danny Hockton for McDonnell with two minutes remaining but the home team could do nothing to get back in the game and the East London side ran out deserved winners.

The home players departed the pitch to a standing ovation from their fans and the visitors went to their 500 or so supporters and milked the delirious celebrations.

The relief on the Dagenham players was evident as they embraced each other and it was a testimony to the brave performance that Crawley put up.