Bradley Johnson and Omari Coleman struck in quick succession as the Reds fell apart, before Paul Armstrong pulled a goal back for the home side on 70 minutes to set-up a tight finish.
Crawley were given a warning after just 13 minutes when Jay Saunders flashed a curling effort just past a post from 20 yards.
The visitors opened the scoring 12 minutes later when Johnson rifled into the bottom corner from a free-kick, given for an outrageous challenge by Phil Smith on Coleman which the home keeper was lucky not to see red for.
It got twice as bad for Hollins moments later when Coleman capitalised on poor defending at a free-kick and smashed home from close range.
Gravesend had two good chances to kill the game off at the end of the first half.
First, Andrew Drury hit an angled effort wide after being left unmarked from Coleman's cross. Then substitute Luke Moore, who had replaced former Crawley striker Charlie MacDonald, failed to get a connection on a drilled centre by Coleman two yards out.
Crawley rallied after the break and gave themselves a lifeline when Simon Wormull had a long-range shot parried by Craig Holloway and Armstrong kept his cool to tuck away the rebound.
The home side squandered several chances to level, the best being a close-range header by Dave Woozley which he somehow guided wide.
Substitute Chris Giles thought he had earned a point for Crawley when he netted in injury-time after Holloway had pushed out a Steve Burton drive, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Crawley were given a warning after just 13 minutes when Jay Saunders flashed a curling effort just past a post from 20 yards.
The visitors opened the scoring 12 minutes later when Johnson rifled into the bottom corner from a free-kick, given for an outrageous challenge by Phil Smith on Coleman which the home keeper was lucky not to see red for.
It got twice as bad for Hollins moments later when Coleman capitalised on poor defending at a free-kick and smashed home from close range.
Gravesend had two good chances to kill the game off at the end of the first half.
First, Andrew Drury hit an angled effort wide after being left unmarked from Coleman's cross. Then substitute Luke Moore, who had replaced former Crawley striker Charlie MacDonald, failed to get a connection on a drilled centre by Coleman two yards out.
Crawley rallied after the break and gave themselves a lifeline when Simon Wormull had a long-range shot parried by Craig Holloway and Armstrong kept his cool to tuck away the rebound.
The home side squandered several chances to level, the best being a close-range header by Dave Woozley which he somehow guided wide.
Substitute Chris Giles thought he had earned a point for Crawley when he netted in injury-time after Holloway had pushed out a Steve Burton drive, but the goal was ruled out for offside.