Crawley Town 3, Stevenage 0.

Caretaker boss Dave Woozley hailed Crawley's emphatic victory over Stevenage as their best of the season.

Reds swept aside the play-off chasers at the Broadfield Stadium to make a mockery of their lowly position in the Conference.

Former Stevenage midfielder Dannie Bulman got the ball rolling with an early penalty before Tony Scully and Marcus Richardson netted in the second half.

The only disappointment for the home fans was a sending off for Scully for two bookable offences, leaving both teams with ten men after Boro's Adam Miller walked just before half- time.

Woozley said: "I would say that was the best win since we have been in charge.

"Every player was up for it from the very beginning and we thoroughly deserved what we got."

Richardson started up front in place of top scorer Scott Rendell, who was dropped to the bench following a run of one goal in nine games.

The decision proved a good one as the big striker proved the most influential player in the first half.

He set up Tyrone Berry for a shot which flashed wide early on before blasting high and wide himself soon after.

Richardson went even closer on six minutes after Stevenage keeper Alan Julian miskicked a clearance straight to his feet.

He looked destined to score his second goal for the club as he beat Julian with a side-footed finish but captain Ronnie Henry scrambled back to clear off the line.

Richardson played a big part when Crawley took a deserved lead five minutes later. He flicked a throw from Scott Hiley into the path of Elliot Benyon, who was brought down by a clumsy lunge from Henry.

Bulman kept his cool to blast the resulting spot kick straight down the middle in front of the fans who used to cheer him.

Reds maintained their high tempo start for the rest of the half and twice went close to adding to their advantage before the half hour.

Hiley made a rare venture forward and fired a low 25-yard drive inches wide.

Benyon then had a turn and volley parried at point-blank by Julian following a corner.

Richardson was again involved in another opening ten minutes before the break. He dispossessed his own strike partner Benyon but failed to get enough power on his shot from the edge of the box.

The visitors almost snatched an unjust equaliser five minutes later after Reds unsuccessfully tried to catch Steve Morison offside.

Boro's top scorer only had Ben Hamer to beat after being found by a neat through ball from Paul Hakim but defender Magnus Okuonghae raced back to make a vital tackle just as the striker was about to shoot.

Stevenage's miserable first half was capped by the dismissal of substitute Miller in stoppage time. The midfielder, who had only been on the pitch for 15 minutes, received a second booking for a knee-high challenge on Richardson.

Crawley took just eight minutes of the second half to make their numerical advantage tell.

Tony Scully played a one-two with Benyon just outside the box before drilling a rising effort into the top corner.

The game turned scrappy after the goal, resulting in a hat-trick of bookings in as many minutes for Okuonghae, Lee Blackburn and Ronnie Bull.

Scully then saw red after receiving a needless second caution on 65 minutes for kicking the ball away on the left-hand touch line.

The sending off sparked a brief spell of pressure from Stevenage and they had their first shot on goal on 70 minutes when Hakim forced Hamer into a save with a hooked volley.

Richardson put the game beyond doubt three minutes later when he beat the offside trap to run clear on goal and produce an emphatic finish for his second goal in three games.

Crawley: Hamer, Hiley, Okuonghae, Woozley, Bull, Berry (sub Marshall 70), Blackburn, Bulman, Scully, Richardson (sub Rendell 83), Benyon. Subs not ssed: Charles, Tolfrey, Obersteller.

Stevenage: Julian, Batt, Oliver, Henry, Nutter, Guppy (sub Lewis 51), Beard, McMahon (sub Miller 29), Cole, Morison (sub Dobson 75), Hakim. Subs not used: Potter, Gaia.

Referee: D Phillips (Chichester).