Crawley were knocked off their perch at the top of the Dr Martens League after an x-rated second half performance last night.

Reds threw away an interval lead given to them by Danny Carroll to lose their first home league game of the season.

Cambridge punished poor defending to complete the double over the hosts.

Reds had put together an accomplished first half performance and moved ahead on 23 minutes through Carroll.

The 24-year-old schoolteacher pounced in a goal mouth melee before turning and shooting past Martin Davies for his seventh goal of the season.

Billy Smith's men, apart from Tesfaye Bramble's effort wide of goal, were never seriously tested before half time.

Dean Wordsworth, Francis Vines, Dave Powell, Matt Woolf and Carroll had all gone close.

Crawley lost their edge after the break and were hit within two minutes of the re-start when Kevin Wilkins scrambled home from Chris Tovey's right wing corner.

Smith threw on Nigel Brake for out of sorts Woolf as the Reds faithful became frustrated.

Keeper Andy Little had to show bravery to deny Darren Whugh. But Cambridge deservedly moved ahead on 81 minutes when Wilkins took advantage of slapdash defending to head home Whugh's right flank cross.

Crawley Town 1, Cambridge City 2 Crawley: Little; Riley, Payne, Powell, Pullan, Ugbah, Carroll, Anderson, Wordsworth (Taylor 80mins), Vines, Woolf. (Brake 59mins) Unused sub: McAree Cambridge City: Davies: Browne, Wardley, Holden, Randall, Wenlock, Tovey, Waugh, Wilkins, Cambridge, Bramble, subs unused, Wilde, Nightingale, Coburn.

Referee: Michael McCoy (Herne Bay).

Attendance: 823.

Men of the Match: Carroll for Crawley, Wilkins for Cambridge.