Crawley Town’s unbeaten league record came to an end with a 3-1 defeat to Notts County at the Checkatrade Stadium.

A 47th-minute Enzio Boldewijn goal gave the Reds the lead.

But Notts equalised within two minutes after James Collins put the ball in his own net.

An Adam Campbell strike and Jon Stead penalty ensured all three points for the visitors.

After a slow opening 20 minutes, the game burst into life with chances at both ends.

A short corner between Jimmy Smith and Jason Banton was well worked and the ball into the box by the Crawley captain was attacked by Josh Yorwerth but the midfielder failed to connect.

The home support were encouraged moments later when a defensive mistake by Notts County saw Collins through on goal but the striker’s left footed attempt was well saved by Adam Collin.

Magpies striker Stead curled an effort just wide of a scrambling Yusuf Mersin.

After the break, the Reds took just over a minute to open the scoring. Boldewijn latched onto a flick by Billy Clifford to fire home inside the box past the helpless Collin.

The visitors levelled almost instantly after a drilled cross from the left was put into his own net by Crawley’s Collins.

The away side were looking dangerous as Mersin pulled off a good save down to his left from Alex Rodman before Louis Laing scuffed another effort inside the box wide.

With Crawley searching for a second, good work from Clifford and Smith enabled Collins a shooting chance inside the box but he failed to hit the target when he should have scored.

Striker Campbell gave the Magpies the lead after a short corner from the left found the forward, who calmly curled the ball into the far corner.

Collins was unlucky not to equalise for the home side as he found the net from close range but Joe McNerney was deemed to have fouled the away side goalkeeper in the build up to the goal.

Crawley left-back Andre Blackman conceded a penalty after handling in the area four minutes from time and Stead smashed home.

The Magpies nearly got a fourth after Campbell hit a post from range as Reds’ tasted their first defeat of the season.

Crawley Town: Mersin, Young, Davey, McNerney, Yorwerth (Connolly), Blackman, Smith (c), Boldewijn, Banton (Yussuf), Clifford (Bawling), Collins.

Unused substitutes: Beeney, Arthur, Tajbakhsh, Pappoe.

Yellow cards: Young, Collins.

Notts County: Collin, Tootle, Dickinson, Duffy, Smith (Audel), O’Connor, Milson (Oliver), Laing, Rodman, Campbell, Stead (Snijders).

Unused substitutes: Loach, Hollis, Burke, Aborah.

Yellow cards: Dickinson, Oliver.

Referee: John Busby Attendance: 2,080

Report: Sam Truelove