Crawley Town 3-1 Eastbourne Boro

Tubbs is now the league's top scorer with 17 strikes

A brace from striker Matt Tubbs eased Crawley to a 3-1 win over struggling Eastbourne - and second spot in the Blue Square Bet Premier table.

Ben Smith gave the Red Devils an early lead when he found the corner before leading scorer Tubbs took over.

He fired home to make it 2-0, twice hit the woodwork with free-kicks and scored a second-half penalty awarded when Gary Elphick handled.

Dan Walker's stunning long-range shot earned Eastbourne a late consolation.

Crawley Town assistant manager Paul Raynor told BBC Sussex:
"It seems like forever since we had a league game and there was a real hunger about our play.

"No disrespect to Eastbourne but it was total domination from start to finish.

"On another day it could have been five or six but we're delighted with where we are now."

Eastbourne Borough manager Garry Wilson told BBC Sussex:
"We've had a harsh period of games going away to first and second consecutively.

"They're a full-time professional team and we didn't expect them to be rusty despite their lack of recent games.

"We've ended up on the road a lot recently and it's been a difficult time for us, but we have a few at home now and we look forward to that."

Crawley Town: Kuipers, Wilson, Mills, McFadzean, Howell, Neilson, Bulman, Smith (Simpson 83), Torres (Hunt 63), Tubbs (Brodie 73), McAllister.
Subs Not Used: Cook, Shearer.

Booked: Neilson, Hunt.

Goals: Smith 13, Tubbs 28, 61 pen.

Eastbourne Borough: Banks, Jenkins, Elphick, Austin, Nelson, Matt Crabb (Nathan Crabb 79), Smart, Johnson (Strevett 66), Walker, Taylor (Brinkhurst 66), Norwood.
Subs Not Used: Baker, Atkin.

Booked: Austin, Johnson, Elphick, Jenkins.

Goals: Walker 85.

Att: 1,894

Ref: C Powell (Dorset).