Player-manager Steve Claridge will today be in no doubt about the size of the task facing him if Weymouth are going to win the battle for the title.

The former Leicester, Birmingham and Portsmouth striker was at the Broadfield Stadium to see Crawley go top of the league after beating Eastbourne Borough.

Weymouth have led for most of the season and are still hot favourites to win the single promotion place to the Conference.

But the manner in which Reds came from behind to go a point clear will have left Claridge with no illusions about what his team are up against.

Reds have hit their best form at just the right time. They have lost just once in the last ten league matches, while Weymouth have suffered three consecutive defeats in all competitions.

The sides meet at the Broadfield in three weeks' time and Crawley will be even stronger by then because manager Francis Vines is set to strengthen his squad.

Vines said: "We showed what a good side we were against Eastbourne and he (Claridge) would have seen a 3-1 hammering. But I have told the players they cannot rest because I'm looking to bring players to the club.

"We have had an offer accepted for a player but we have not agreed terms yet. I am also looking to bring another player back to the club.

"I want competition and the players must realise no one is guaranteed a place in the team."

The man closest to being an automatic choice is Mo Harkin. The former Northern Ireland under-21 international capped a superb performance with an impressive goal in injury time to ensure the points.

He turned Darren Baker inside-out before curling a shot from the angle of the area into the top right-hand corner.

Harkin's form has been vital to Crawley's success this season. He says he is playing the best football since Billy Smith brought him to the club two years ago and believes Crawley are good enough to win the title.

He said: "I have played in some good sides but we are definitely more consistent now. From what I have seen in previous years it normally falls apart after Christmas but it is coming to the middle of February now and we are still there. Weymouth are having a bit of a sticky patch at the moment, while we have come through ours. We have shown great character to get to the top of the league so I don't see why we can't carry on for the rest of the season."

Harkin's strike was the icing on the cake for Crawley supporters who sang: "Are you watching Steve Claridge?" at the final whistle.

However, even die-hard fans would admit the result was in doubt for 65 minutes.

A frustrating first half was summed up just past the half-hour mark when Charlie MacDonald latched on to a long ball by Harkin to go through on goal.

The former Charlton striker was pushed over by substitute Stuart Myall, on for the injured Steve Dell after just four minutes, on the edge of the box. But the referee adjudged MacDonald dived and booked him.

It got even worse for Reds five minutes after the break when Borough were awarded a penalty. Ian Pulman went down in the box under a nave challenge by keeper Andy Little and Scott Ramsay converted the spot kick confidently for his 23rd goal of the season.

The turning point came on 64 minutes when Vines brought on big striker Joff Vansittart.

The former Farnborough forward showed what a threat he could be two weeks ago when he came off the bench to score twice in a 2-1 win against Bognor in the Sussex Senior Cup. It took him just four minutes to level the scores. MacDonald played a well-timed ball to Robert Smith who drilled in a low cross which Vansittart turned in from close range.

The goal lifted Crawley and they killed off the visitors three minutes later when Paul Armstrong smashed home a 25-yard shot which cannoned in off the inside of the left-hand post.

Borough boss Garry Wilson had no arguments about the result but was far from content with his side's performance.

Borough have realistic ambitions of finishing in the top 13 which will be enough to secure promotion to the new Conference south division.

Defeat leaves them in seventh and it was only their second loss in the last eight league games. But the fact they failed to create a single goalscoring chance from open play angered Wilson. He said: "I'm disappointed we didn't put up a better show in front of a decent crowd because we have played better than that. We should have shown a bit more character after they scored their first goal."