Manager John Hollins revealed how a half-time bust up between his players inspired Crawley to their best win of the season.

Reds recorded their fourth straight victory, and only their second on the road this season, at Dagenham and Redbridge last night to move seven points clear of the Conference drop zone.

They scored three times during a 16-minute purple patch early in the second half. Omari Coleman broke the deadlock before Steve Burton struck twice in six minutes.

The goals came after a heated argument between players during the break.

Hollins said: "Just as we were going in for half-time a couple of the boys had a real set-to.

"I won't say who they were but they were having a go at each other for not doing the right thing in the first half.

"I sat the players down and said that is the exact spirit I want to see and told them to go and show it on the pitch. They then came out and were terrific.

"All the players are showing the sort of determination I am looking for.

"When I was at Swansea we went nine games winning 1-0 and had 22 clean sheets. We wouldn't be beaten and I am beginning to see the same sort of spirit here."

Reds were hard-working and dogged in the first half but struggled to create clear scoring chances.

The closest they came was when Daggers defender Shane Blackett misjudged the flight of a long clearance after just two minutes and headed over his own crossbar.

They also had strong shouts for a penalty waved away on the half-hour when Burton appeared to be dragged down by Tim Cole.

Crawley had keeper Phil Smith to thank for going into half-time level.

He smothered bravely at the feet of Craig Mackail-Smith nine minutes before the break as the striker tried to dribble round him after being sent clear on goal.

Smith then made a spectacular fingertip save moments later from a powerful header from a corner by Blackett.

Mackail-Smith had earlier squandered another golden chance when he left the Reds defence for dead to race on to a Sam Saunders' through ball.

The lively front man opted to try to lob Smith but overhit his effort high over the bar.

Hollins' side overwhelmed Dagenham after the interval and deservedly went ahead on 56 minutes.

Winger Tony Scully beat defender Anwar Uddin on the left flank and crossed low for Coleman to prod home from close range for his second goal for the club.

Burton should have added a second a minute later when he out-muscled Blackett and blasted a volley wildly over.

The former Scarborough striker quickly made amends when he doubled the lead on 66 minutes.

Ben Judge found space on the right wing and drilled across goal for Burton to sidefoot under keeper Tony Roberts from three yards.

Burton killed the home side off six minutes later with his seventh league goal of the season. He latched on to a long ball over the top, held off a robust challenge by Cole and slotted through Roberts' legs.

The Reds' top scorer was denied the chance of a hat-trick by Hollins as he was replaced by Danny Ekoku before play restarted.

Dagenham and Redbridge: Roberts, Cole, Blackett, Bruce, Saunders, Southam, Foster (sub Moore 64), Griffiths, Uddin (sub Vickers 76), Akurang, Mackail-Smith. Subs not used: Hogan, Johnson, Lettejallon.

Bookings: None.

Crawley Town: Smith, Judge, Brown, Mendy, Giles, Scully (sub Jenkins 73), Armstrong, Clay, Blackburn, Burton (sub Ekoku 73), Coleman. Subs not used: Ward, Woozley, Opinel.

Bookings: Clay (87, foul).

Man-of-the-match: Steve Burton.