Boss Steve Evans felt his injury-ravaged side had been hard done by after they succumbed to a powerful Luton side at Kenilworth Road last night.

George Pilikington put the hosts ahead after goalkeeper Nick Jordan appeared to have been fouled and two goals in three minutes after the break sealed Reds’ fate.

Evans said: “The first goal changed the course of the game because we had frustrated them and their crowd was ready to start booing them. The second and third were down to individual errors but I don’t think it was a 3-0 game.”

Evans could have no complaints about the effort from his side and the performances of debutants Dominic Collins and Kieran Djilali offered further encouragement.

He added: “We showed great character. I thought Dominic Collins was fantastic and if we had given young Djilali more of the ball he would have caused them problems.”

They were two of three signings Evans had made on a busy deadline day which had seen striker Jamie Cook depart for a second spell with his home town club Oxford United.

Cook, 30 today, was Reds’ top scorer last season with 15 goals despite missing three months because of injury and he had already netted three times this campaign.

But he was anxious to be based near his Oxford home and has joined for an undisclosed fee having previously played for the U’s in their Football League days.

Collins was joined by Preston team-mate Adam Barton and Crystal Palace midfielder Djilali, who have all joined for a month.

It was a baptism of fire for the trio of 18-year-olds at hostile Kenilworth Road with Collins lining up alongside Karl Broadhurst in central defence and Djilali, who made six first-team appearances for Palace last season, on the right of midfield.

With Charles Ademeno one of five players sidelined because of injury, Evans asked Jefferson Louis to play as a lone striker against a Luton side unbeaten since dropping into the Blue Square premier for the first time.

Lewis Killeen provided support from midfield and nearly gave Reds a shock lead in the 19th minute when he just failed to get a decisive touch on Djilali’s cross.

Luton dominated possession for much of the first half but appeared to be running out of ideas before they broke the deadlock eight minutes from the break.

Jordan went down clutching his right thigh after Newton challenged him for a cross. Crawley failed to clear their lines and midfielder Pilkington had time to stroke the ball into an empty net from just inside the box.

Eight minutes after the interval Killeen wasted Reds’ best chance when he dragged a right-foot shot wide from 15 yards.

The visitors had been much brighter in the second half but two goals in three minutes ended their hopes.

Pilkington headed home a inswinging corner from Kevin Nicholls on 62 minutes and then Tom Craddock’s low drive beat Jordan after Reds failed to clear Newton’s cross.

Barton became Reds’ fourth debutant in the last two games when he came on for the last 11 minutes.

Luton: Tyler, Keane, Murray (sub Hall 77), Pilkington, White, Nicholls, Jarvis, Gnapka, Newton (sub Blackett 77), Gallen (sub Donnelly 82), Craddock.

Crawley: Jordan, Forrest, Collins, Broadhurst, Rents, Djilali, Hutchinson, Pinault (sub Barton 79), Carruthers, Killeen (sub Malcolm 79), Louis.

Attendance: 6,389 (115 Crawley).