Boss Francis Vines blamed the referee for Crawley's latest setback and few could argue with him.

Moaning about the officials is too often used by managers to cover up a bad result, especially when their team is at the wrong end of the table.

But on this occasion Vines had every right to put this defeat down to referee John Hopkins after he made two controversial game-changing decisions.

The first came on 71 minutes when Stevenage, trailing to a Stuart Douglas goal, were awarded a penalty after Reds captain Ian Simpemba was penalised for handball.

It was a contentious decision to say the least as not only was it clearly not hand-to-ball but it was questionable whether it even hit Simpemba's arm at all.

To add to the controversy, Darryn Stamp was the player who converted the spot-kick when he should not have even been on the field.

The tall striker had caught David Woozley with an elbow in the first half as the two players challenged for a header, leaving the Crawley defender with blood pouring from his head and needing eight stitches.

Crawley were left incensed with Hopkins again ten minutes later when he gave the visitors a questionable free-kick just outside the box.

Stamp went to ground rather too easily under a challenge from Woozley after he seemed to control the ball with his arm.

Substitute Danny Williams curled the resulting kick beautifully over the wall with his first touch after coming on.

To make matters worse for Reds, Simpemba was booked for arguing with the official in the aftermath, his fifth of the season, which rules him out of next Monday's trip to Aldershot.

Vines, who had returned after a four-match touchline ban given for swearing at a referee last season, said: "I have no complaints with my players but I can complain about the officials.

"I thought, once we were in front, that they were not going to score but unfortunately the referee decided differently.

"I was not happy with the free-kick because it was handball and if you are going to give it for the penalty then you have to give it again.

"Also, the guy who scored the penalty should not have even been on the pitch. How the ref didn't see him throw his elbow into our centre-half's head disappointed me tremendously.

"How you are not supposed to swear and scream and shout at the officials when you have incompetence like that is beyond me."

Simpemba said: "I have noticed that the further you move down the leagues the worse the refereeing is and at our level you get some who are not fit to do the job.

"It was ridiculous. The ball hit me in the throat and the referee gave a penalty. Then their striker handballed it and he gave nothing.

"It spoilt the game for us because up until the penalty we were in control and we had finally scored."

Hopkins ensured he ended the game universally unpopular when he made another baffling decision two minutes from time.

Borough captain Jason Goodliffe was shown a straight red card after tussling with striker Steve Burton in the box, yet Stevenage were awarded a free-kick.

Hopkins refused to explain himself afterwards except to confirm the red card was for violent conduct.

The consolation for Vines was seeing his side finally score their first goal of the season after seven hours.

Douglas got it on 59 minutes to justify Vines' decision to hand the former Luton striker his first start at the expense of Burton.

And what a goal it was. Douglas dived full-length to toe-poke a low curling cross from Ben Judge into the bottom corner following a patient passing move.

It should have kick-started Reds' season. Instead, they find themselves next to bottom thanks to Mr Hopkins.