Sympathy is wearing thin for Crawley after they were again the architects of their own downfall.

Reds suffered a devastating injury-time capitulation against Exeter at the Broadfield Stadium.

Jon Challinor scored two goals in as many minutes in added time to leave the majority of the largest home crowd of the season shell-shocked.

The defeat was Crawley's most painful so far this campaign and not just because of the timing of the goals.

Reds produced one of their best performances and dominated a side tipped for the title for 70 minutes.

But this defeat comes at a time when they were beginning to think they had turned the corner following a three-game unbeaten run.

Reds did not deserve to lose but it is becoming hard to feel sorry for them because they were to blame for their demise. They created two goalscoring chances that most sides dream of and failed to take them. They then switched off when it really mattered, seemingly happy to take a point, and were punished.

It is not the first time it has happened and manager Francis Vines admits Reds have to stop shooting themselves in the foot, otherwise relegation could become a real possibility.

He said: "What can you say to the players after that? You can't turn around and shout and scream at them and call them names because they played well. But playing well and not winning will keep us down there and could get us relegated.

"It was the story of our season as a whole. You start to think what the hell is going on here?

"We were in control and created some great opportunities and if we had scored one the result would have been the opposite. But you have to take them otherwise you saw what happens."

Exeter boss Alex Inglethorpe summed up where Reds had gone wrong when he praised what his side had done right.

He said: "In the last ten minutes, we played as if we were 1-0 down and not like it was 0-0.

"We kept going and took our chances when they came. Some might say it was a lucky win but you make your own luck."

The turning point was the introduction of Exeter's veteran striker Steve Flack with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The big targetman had tormented Reds with his physical presence and strength in air in the Grecians' 1-0 win last season and was just as uncompromising again.

The Reds defence, who were without injured captain Ian Simpemba and had midfielder Lee Blackburn playing as a makeshift leftback in place of the crocked Neil Jenkins, simply could not cope with him.

Exeter played to his strengths and ran riot the last ten minutes and five minutes of added time as a result.

It was from Flack's flicked header which set up the first sucker-punch. Dave Woozley and Blackburn both went to challenge him, leaving Challinor alone to squeeze a shot from a tight angle inside the near post.

Challinor, who was a summer transfer target for Vines, killed Reds off moments later when he pounced on a loose ball from Paul Armstrong, hurdled two challenges and slotted under Scott Ward.

Crawley had overwhelmed the visitors up until Flack had come on and Inglethorpe reckons it will not be long before a Daryl Clare-inspired Crawley start climbing the table.

He said: "They have invested heavily and wisely in people like Daryl Clare. I can still see them being up there come the end of the season."

Crawley midfielder Richard Hodgson has been placed on the transfer list and is poised for a loan move to King's Lynn.

Hodgson, who signed a two-year contract as a free agent in the summer, has not featured in the first team squad since the fourth game of the season.

Reds have extended Andy Lindegaard's loan from Yeovil for a second month.