Winger Neil Jenkins believes Crawley must play negative football to end their poor away form.
Reds have the best home record in the Conference, with four wins and a draw from the first five games, but have struggled on the road.
They have collected just four points away from Broadfield Stadium, the only win coming on the opening day at Leigh RMI.
Crawley face their toughest away game yet tomorrow when they make the 350-mile trip to Carlisle.
The Cumbrians are buzzing after the 2-1 win against League Two side Grimsby in the LDV Vans Trophy in midweek and are going for a club record for the best unbeaten start to a season.
Reds have never played Carlisle, but Jenkins knows all about them.
The 22-year-old was in the Southend side that won 2-1 at Brunton Park in March, which helped condemn Carlisle to relegation from the Football League.
He said: "If people saw us at home they would say we were on course for promotion, but if they saw us away they would say we were relegation contenders.
"It's good to have made the Broadfield into a fortress. There is a good atmosphere and the crowd really gets behind us but we have to realise we can't play the same way when we go away.
"Sometimes we are too attacking and we have got punished. We were 2-1 up against Canvey going into the last minute and instead of taking the ball to the corner flag, we tried to score another goal and they got an equaliser.
"I've played at Carlisle and I know what their supporters are like. They get on the backs of the players very easily, which is what we have to try and make them do. We need to sit back and shut up shop for the first half, quieten the crowd and then try and hit them on the break in the second half."
Jenkins does not believe Crawley's performance will be affected by the long trip. Reds travelled by coach today and will drive back immediately after the game.
He said: "The journey is a nightmare. When I went with Southend it took us nine hours to get there and on the way back I didn't get home until seven o'clock in the morning because I broke down."
Midfielder Paul Armstrong is back in contention for the first time after knee surgery in the summer, but manager Francis Vines says the former Albion man will not start."
Defender Matt Rees (back) and Peterborough loanee Jamie Day (hamstring) are doubtful, while midfielder Rob Kember (ankle) is missing.
Carlisle, who are the only unbeaten side in the division, have injury problems.
Player-manager Paul Simpson, once of Manchester City, Derby and Wolves, is struggling with a knee injury and former Stockport player-boss Andy Preece (foot) and Carlos Roca (knee) are out. Defender William McDonagh starts a three match suspension after being sent off against Grimsby.
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