Gary Alexander scored twice as Crawley secured a famous win by ending Peterborough’s 100% start to the season at London Road.

Alexander gave Reds a deserved lead with his first league goal for the club since last September with a fine volley after 21 minutes.

Peterborough, looking for a record seventh consecutive win this season, were unable to respond and Alexander wrapped up the points in the 64th minute.

The only negative from a historic day for the club was a red card for Mike Jones late in the game but even with ten men Crawley held on comfortably.

Peterborough had beaten Reading 6-0 in their previous game in the Capital One Cup in midweek and had thrashed Tranmere 5-0 in League One last weekend but never looked threatening against a Crawley side who had yet to keep a clean sheet this season.

The result saw Peterborough slip to third in the table while Crawley climbed to 11th.

In contrast to their last match at Wolves, Reds started very brightly with Nicky Adams forcing Bobby Olejnik into action after just three minutes when he turned his low shot around a post.

Olejnik also made a smart stop from Billy Clarke after he had been put through by Mat Sadler and it was no surprise when Reds took the lead after 21 minutes.

A cross from Clarke floated over the head of Gabriel Zakuani and Alexander smashed a volley past a startled Olejnik and inside the far post.

It was no less than Crawley deserved but the goal did seem to wake Peterborough from their slumber.

Paul Jones was forced to make his first save of the match after 28 minutes but the header from Zakuani after a clever free kick routine was straight at the Reds goalkeeper.

The home side were still struggling to carve out any meaningful chances but they were keeping possession better with Dannie Bulman and Mike Jones receiving yellow cards for fouls as Crawley defended their lead.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson attempted to alter the course of the game by bringing on Mark Little and Danny Swanson at half-time but it had little effect.

Little did sting the palms of Paul Jones with a well-struck drive four minutes after the restart but the home side were still unable to get a stranglehold on the game.

In fact it was Crawley who continued to pose the greater threat with Andy Drury shooting wide from 20 yards after a clever free kick routine and Olejnik having to react quickly to keep out a deflected effort from Kyle McFadzean.

A second goal arrived in the 64th minute when Alexander angled his run perfectly to take a through ball in his stride before firing a low shot inside Olejnik’s near post.

Tommy Rowe had a good chance to pull one back almost immediately when he wriggled through the challenge of three defenders but fired his shot over the bar.

Britt Assombalonga had two very optimistic appeals for penalty waved away in the closing stages of the game as Peterborough became increasingly desperate.

Mike Jones received a second yellow card with three minutes to go when he kicked the ball away at a free kick but even with ten men Crawley held on comfortably.