Crawley fans are still furious with the controversial cost-cutting measures imposed by chairman Chas Majeed.

But if there is method in the madness, it seems to be working.

Supporters were horrified when Majeed put every player on the transfer list and slashed their wages in half.

He said he needed to save money and jolt players on generous two-year contracts out of the comfort zone.

The club was plunged into chaos and morale plummeted.

But four weeks on and look at the statistics.

Before the cuts, Crawley collected five points in nine league games, winning just once, and were second bottom in the Conference.

They have since picked up seven points from four league matches, come out on top in two must-win games and have lost just once, a narrow 1-0 reverse against runaway leaders Accrington Stanley.

Saturday's victory against relegation rivals Forest Green was the first time this season Reds have managed back-to-back wins and it puts them three places and four points clear of the drop zone.

Whether the revival will continue, however, remains to be seen.

More players could leave and, although Reds have managed without the three who have walked, more departures would hit their shrinking squad hard.

When the final transfer window for all clubs shuts at the end of March the players that have remained will no longer be in the shop window and looking to impress potential new employers.

They are likely to become tired of proving a point to those who branded them overpaid underachievers and the siege mentality that has risen through the ranks will probably fade.

The authorities are also likely to catch up with the club eventually.

After all, if it was this easy for clubs to turn things around and save money, then every struggling team would be slashing wages. It is bound to have repercussions from the FA and Conference.

But, for the moment, manager John Hollins is savouring the change in fortunes.

He said: "That is the first two wins in a row this season and is the second clean sheet as well, so it shows we might be doing something right for a change.

"From the goalkeeper right the way through the team, the players worked really hard this week and the proof of that was on the pitch. The players in every position were magnificent.

"As we keep saying every week, they have problems of their own but they have put it behind them and have performed.

"You can sense a change of feeling and atmosphere in the players which only comes from seriously hard work and trying to promote the things we do well."

The performance against Forest Green did not match the standard of the previous three games.

But the result was arguably the most pleasing for Reds because it was the first time they had ground out a 1-0 win.

They made the most of a 20-minute spell of pressure at the end of the first half by taking the lead thanks to an audacious piece of skill from striker Steve Burton.

Seven minutes before the break, he received the ball two yards out with his back to goal after keeper Ryan Clarke had parried an Omari Coleman shot into his path.

He held off the challenge of Darren Jones and cheekily back-heeled through the defender's legs and into the net.

Crawley were forced to hang on in the second half as Rovers rallied but for the second successive week the relatively new-look back four were dogged and restricted them to just one clear chance.

Keeper Phil Smith dived bravely at the feet of Guy Madjo to push clear after he had been found unmarked by a header from Julian Alsop.

Hollins said: "We are starting to do things properly in this league, which is a very tough league.

"We have got a good team here but we have taken a long time to prove it. What we have done is eliminated the cavalier spirit where everyone flies forward and we lose by three or four. If we are going to lose now it will be 1-0.