Crawley suffered a second defeat on the road in three days as relegation-threatened Barrow easily saw them off at Holker Street.

The South Cumbrians netted four for the first time at home this season as they did the double over Steve Evans’ men and all but assured their Blue Square premier safety.

With top-scorer Charles Ademeno on the bench, Town started with Michael Malcolm and Danny Forrest up front and lacked an attacking edge throughout.

Simon Rusk did well early on to pressure home striker Nick Chadwick to shoot over, but the left-back could not stop his man rising with a header that hit the far post and had Nick Jordan scrambling to collect before his defence cleared.

Crawley came back with Thomas Pinault dictating in midfield as the visitors started to dominate, Sam Rents having their first effort as he fired a free-kick wide from 30 yards.

Home keeper Stuart Tomlinson was called into action by Pinault on 27 minutes as he fired a low, curving effort from 12 yards towards the near post and the Barrow man parried behind for a corner.

Crawley were closer still as Ben Smith whipped in a cross from the right and Malcolm beat Paul Jones at the front post to turn an effort onto the woodwork.

Barrow had luck on their side when they hit the woodwork, Jason Walker’s lob of Jordan hitting the post and bouncing into the back of the net off a flat-footed Smith on the line.

Jordan saved well from a long-range Andy Bond effort to prevent a second, before Rutherford shot wide as Reds were on the back foot going into the break.

Things were more even after half-time, Glenn Wilson shooting straight at Tomlinson from distance, Rutherford testing Jordan at the other end.

Crawley were level before the hour as Forrest made it to the by-line on the left and crossed to the far post, where an unmarked Smith headed in from almost exactly the same spot he had put into his own net in the first half.

Parity lasted less than five minutes before Simon Wiles fired a rocket past a diving Jordan into the bottom left corner to put the hosts in front once more.

Pinault was again at the heart of matters as Crawley searched for a second equaliser, shooting over from 20 yards as Reds failed to find any potency in attack despite the neatness of their play.

The game was over on 79 minutes as Chadwick volleyed in a Wiles corner only moments after being booked for an altercation with Eddie Hutchinson.

Worse followed as Wilson saw his soft back-pass picked up by Walker and fired past a stranded Jordan to end a night Crawley would soon forget.

Barrow: Stuart Tomlinson, Spender, Edwards, Jones, Bolland, Wiles (Logan 88), Hulbert (Boyd 90), Bond, Walker (Blundell 88), Chadwick, Rutherford. Subs not used: Deasy, Pearson.

Bookings: Bond, Chadwick.

Crawley: Jordan, Rusk, Rents, Langston (Napper 87), Wilson, Smith, Hutchinson, Pinault, Malcolm, Forrest, Cogan. Subs not used: Rayner, Ademeno, Killeen, Rayner.

Bookings: Langston, , Hutchinson.

Referee: Tony Harrington (Hartlepool).

Attendance: 970.