If Crawley were feeling sorry for themselves after their four-point deduction earlier this week there was little evidence of it last night as they cruised into the third round of the FA Trophy.

Top scorer Jon-Paul Pittman completed his first senior hat-trick with two goals in the last four minutes and Adam Quinn scored his eighth of the campaign after Simon Weatherstone had broken the deadlock in the first half.

The scoreline would have been even more emphatic but Mikey Malcolm saw his 69th-minute penalty superbly saved by Danny Potter after Cambridge defender Jon Challinor was sent-off for bringing down Malcolm, his second bookable offence inside 15 minutes.

Crawley travel to the winners of next Monday’s replay between Havant and Waterlooville and Lewes and must fancy their chances of at least emulating last season’s run to the quarter-finals.

Boss Steve Evans was unable to call on five players including recent signing Jon Shaw.

But he was delighted with the way his side contained a Cambridge team beaten just twice at home this season before picking them off on the break in the second half.

Cambridge enjoyed marginally the better of a scrappy first 45 minutes but it was Reds who broke the deadlock with their only shot on target of the half.

It was a well worked goal, too. Glenn Wilson’s throw from the right was chested into the path of Weatherstone by Steve Fletcher and the midfielder picked his spot from close range with little resistance from the home defence.

That gave the visitors something to cling on to and they did so without too much trouble in the first half.

Cambridge had plenty of possession but ran out of ideas in the final third and any threat they did pose came from set pieces.

It was pretty uninspiring for most of the half on a freezing night.

Crawley’s assistant manager Paul Raynor did his best to raise the temperature, though, when he got involved in a heated exchange with Cambridge boss Gary Brabin after Malcolm was sent sprawling by Challinor’s challenge.

The fourth official eventually restored some order but a policeman spent the rest of the game between the dugouts to keep the peace.

Although Evans did not risk Shaw because of a hamstring problem he did give a debut Lewis Chalmers in the centre of his midfield trio.

Chalmers’ first contribution was to collect a harsh yellow card for a foul on Challinor but he became more of an influence as the game wore on, making several eyecatching bursts ahead of Crawley’s front three as the visitors took control in the second half.

They doubled their lead in the 55th minute when Sam Rents slid a pass down the inside left channel which Pittman collected in his stride before lifting the ball over Potter.

Pittman’s pace and his willingness to work the channels gave Crawley an outlet all night but in stark contrast Cambridge were toothless up front.

After Challinor’s red card it was a case of how many more Crawley could score.

It should have been 3-0 when Malcolm was sent sprawling by Challinor but Potter plunged to his right to keep out a well struck penaty.

Reds sealed an impressive performance with three goals in the last four minutes.

Pittman curled a left foot shot into the top corner after Malcolm had set him up and completed his hat-trick from close range after more good work from Malcolm. Quinn completed the rout in injury time with a well taken header as Reds romped to their biggest win of the campaign.

Cambridge Utd: Potter, Challinor, Tonkin, Bolland, Hatswell, Jardim (Pitt 60), Carden, Farrell (Ives 87), Willmott, Beesley, Holroyd (Crow 60). Unused subs: Coulson, Hoyte.

Yellow card: Farrell (foul, 51), Challinor (foul, 54), Pitt (foul, 86).

Red card: Challinor (foul, 2nd bookable offence, 69).

Crawley: Rayner, Wilson, Rents, Wright, Quinn, Weatherstione, Bulman, Chalmers (Pinault 85), Malcolm, Fletcher (Mills 86), Pittman (Nayee 89). Unused subs: Stevens, Raynor.

Yellow card: Chalmers (foul, 18), Bulman (foul, 89).

Referee: M. Naylor.

Attendance: 1,233 (25 from Crawley).