Tranmere Rovers were defeated 2-1 on their travels to Crawley Town at the Broadfield Stadium on Saturday afternoon in Sky Bet League Two.
Harvey Saunders opened the scoring inside eight minutes for Ian Dawes’ men, scoring his second goal in two games for the Club.
However, goals in ten second-half minutes from Aramide Oteh and Jack Powell sent Rovers into the half-time interval behind.
Kane Hemmings missed a late penalty for Rovers, who were unable to earn any points in Sussex.
Early in the contest, Tom Davies did well to throw himself in the way of Dom Telford’s strike, before the Crawley forward hit from distance which landed on the roof of Mateusz Hewelt’s netting.
Rovers were ahead on eight minutes after home goalkeeper Corey Addai slipped on the edge of the box following a back pass, which allowed Saunders to pounce and roll the ball into an empty net right-footed.
Tranmere then had to deal with some pressure from their hosts, as Josh Dacres-Cogley was forced to steer a header clear from Ben Gladwin’s cross aimed for Telford.
Pushing for a response, Crawley had two opportunities. Firstly, when a well-worked set-piece was pulled back to James Tilley who whipped a fierce shot into the area, which Harry Ransom diverted narrowly beyond the post.
Dion Conroy found Telford with a pass in a dangerous position, with Hewelt equal to his low shot on target.
Logan Chalmers and captain Hemmings were unable to beat Addai with their openings on goal – either side of Tilley shooting narrowly over – as both teams traded chances.
Crawley levelled the score on the half-hour mark through Oteh’s right-footed powerful drive from the left side of the box which found Hewelt’s top right-corner.
Aiming to restore their advantage, Jordan Turnbull and Saunders were denied by smart saves from Addai.
But having almost gone in front through Telford’s deflected snapshot off Davies, Scott Lindsey’s Red Devils turned the game on its head with 40 minutes played.
A corner was floated into the crowded box and not cleared by Rovers, with Ransom profiting to head across goal for Powell to get ahead of Davies to flick past Hewelt from a matter of yards.
Hewelt was called upon to thwart Ashley Nadesan from making it three, saving well from the forward.
As the play resumed for the second-half, positive build-up play from Regan Hendry and Hemmings set Chalmers free, though the winger fired over the crossbar in the box.
Dawes made his first substitute of the contest six minutes on from the interval, with Jake Turner-Cooke replacing Lee O’Connor.
Hewelt held Nicholas Tsaroulla’s drive from distance, with Crawley in the hunt for a third goal.
Dawes made a double switch on 65 minutes, bringing on Rhys Hughes and Sam Taylor for Chalmers and Saunders.
Josh Hawkes chased onto Dacres-Cogley’s pass to weave into the box, though his effort was deflected behind by Kellan Gordon.
Rovers missed the chance to draw level from the penalty spot in the 80th minute when Hendry’s cross struck the arm of Mazeed Ongungbo.
Up-stepped Hemmings, only for his spot-kick to be saved by Addai, who dived low to palm the ball away from the bottom left-corner, as Hughes’ rebound went high and wide.
Jake Burton was introduced into the action with seven minutes of normal time remaining, for Hawkes.
Rovers were throwing everything forward, with Ethan Bristow’s cross only finding a Crawley man, while Anthony Grant nearly added to the scoring through a shot which had Hewelt at full-stretch.
Rovers couldn’t find an elusive equaliser. Attention now turns to a fixture away at Rochdale on Tuesday night, kick-off 7:45pm.
Tranmere: Hewelt, Dacres-Cogley, Davies, Turnbull, Bristow, Chalmers, Hendry, O'Connor (Turner-Cooke 51), Hawkes (Burton 86), Hemmings ©, Saunders (Taylor 65)
Subs not used: Hoti, Mumbongo
Goal: Saunders, 8, Oteh, 30, Powell, 40