Three players saw red as Crawley Town went down 4-1 away to Accrington Stanley in League Two.

Reds midfielder Simon Walton was among the three dismissals following a 60th-minute brawl sparked by a bad tackle from the hosts’ Shay McCartan.

Mark Yates' side led at half-time but ended up being convincingly beaten.

The Reds went ahead on 21 minutes when Gwion Edwards netted his seventh goal of the season.

Walton played in the Welshman who found the top corner with a shot on the turn for 1-0.

Seven minutes before the break Gavin Tomlin had a shot blocked for a corner.

Three minutes into the second half Accrington were level as Paul Jones failed to hold on to a shot from Matty Crooks and Billy Kee pounced for the equaliser.

The game exploded into life on the hour-mark as McCartan caught Jon Ashton with a late challenge sparking a mass brawl, which Accrington’s substitute goalkeeper Jason Mooney even ran on to get involved with.

When the situation calmed down, McCartan was shown a red card, followed by Crawley’s Walton and Mooney.

It was now ten versus ten and the hosts surged ahead with 18 minutes remaining.

Seconds after Jones had saved from Matt Pearson, Crooks played Pearson through the middle past Crawley’s offside trap and he fired past the Reds keeper from 15 yards.

Seamus Conneely added a third with a low finish three minutes from time and Piero Mingoia rounded off victory when he strode through for 4-1 in stoppage time.

Crawley Town: Jones, Ashton (sub Jenkins 70), Yorwerth, Bradley, Walton, Bawling, Tomlin (sub Fenelon 84), Atkinson, Deacon, Edwards, Harrold (sub Barnard 90). Subs not used: Rooney, Preston, Young.

Accrington Stanley: Etheridge, Halliday, Pearson, Wright, Buxton, Mingoia, Conneely, Crooks (sub Boco 90), McConville (sub Proctor 90), McCartan, Kee. Subs not used: Davies, Gornell, Wakefield, Brown, Mooney.

Referee: Andy Haines (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance: 1,374.