Crawley want to give Dean Cox a route back into the Football League.

Reds head coach Dermot Drummy will talk to the former Albion wideman on Tuesday about signing as a free agent.

Cox parted company with Leyton Orient just after Wednesday night’s transfer deadline, meaning he cannot play for another League club until January.

Drummy is keen to bring in the Sussex-based player who is known to be open to a stint with Reds.

Crawley are skippered by Jimmy Smith, a former colleague of Cox’s at Orient.

Drummy said: “I think he really wants to come. He’s a Haywards Heath lad, he knows Jimmy well and, if someone wants to come to the club and we can make it happen, he may come to meet us on the terms.”

Reds were swept aside 3-0 today at Portsmouth, who were 2-0 up in 12 minutes.

Curtis Main fired home Enda Stevens’ cut-back after the right-hand side of Reds’ defence had been picked apart for the ninth-minute opener.

Then Gary Roberts struck in style for the high-pressing hosts after Danny Rose took the ball off Alex Davey on the edge of the Crawley box.

Main added the third on 37 minutes when Yusuf Mersin could not hold a Milan Lalkovic shot.

Reds, with Jason Banton catching the eye in possession, were better after the break.

But they offered precious little goal threat and home substitute Michael Smith should have extended the lead, rather than angle his shot just wide, in added time.