Before the dismissal of home keeper Danny Potter Boro had looked on course to inflict Crawley's first defeat of the campaign.
Ahead 2-1 and playing some crisp passing football, the home team looked to be coping well with the Conference's surprise form side, but the penalty equaliser for the visitors proved a real fillip for crisis-club Crawley who upped the tempo and ran out worthy winners.
Such a result had seemed unlikely in a first half which was dominated by the home side.
The deadlock was broken five minutes before the break as poor defending was to prove costly. George Boyd chased down Ben Judge in the corner and his persistence paid off as the Boro front man robbed the defender and guided over a cross which was swept home from close range by Adam Miller.
It was a goal which Stevenage richly deserved, but it led to a backlash after the interval as Crawley boss John Hollins read the riot act on his side and got just the response he was looking for.
Crawley pulled level on 57 minutes when Michael Bostwick crashed home a free-kick conceded after a foul on the edge of the box by Jason Goodliffe.
Stevenage bounced straight back however and within a minute they were back ahead, Steve Guppy sending in a pinpoint cross from the left which Steve Morison guided in with a header for his first goal for the club.
Back ahead, Stevenage looked to regain some control, but the game was to turn on 63 minutes when a poor backpass from Barry Fuller left Potter in trouble and as the home keeper scrambled to get the ball he was adjudged to have fouled Lee Blackburn.
Referee Mr Barratt dismissed Potter and Strevens had the task of sending sub keeper Alan Julian the wrong way as he drilled the ball into the keeper's bottom left-hand corner.
Crawley were not going to waste this opportunity to make it win number three and they grabbed the decisive third with seven minutes to go.
Edwards' shot was charged down on the edge of the box but the ball broke to Bostwick and after his first touch found him space in the area he wasted no time in drilling Crawley ahead for the first time.
Ahead 2-1 and playing some crisp passing football, the home team looked to be coping well with the Conference's surprise form side, but the penalty equaliser for the visitors proved a real fillip for crisis-club Crawley who upped the tempo and ran out worthy winners.
Such a result had seemed unlikely in a first half which was dominated by the home side.
The deadlock was broken five minutes before the break as poor defending was to prove costly. George Boyd chased down Ben Judge in the corner and his persistence paid off as the Boro front man robbed the defender and guided over a cross which was swept home from close range by Adam Miller.
It was a goal which Stevenage richly deserved, but it led to a backlash after the interval as Crawley boss John Hollins read the riot act on his side and got just the response he was looking for.
Crawley pulled level on 57 minutes when Michael Bostwick crashed home a free-kick conceded after a foul on the edge of the box by Jason Goodliffe.
Stevenage bounced straight back however and within a minute they were back ahead, Steve Guppy sending in a pinpoint cross from the left which Steve Morison guided in with a header for his first goal for the club.
Back ahead, Stevenage looked to regain some control, but the game was to turn on 63 minutes when a poor backpass from Barry Fuller left Potter in trouble and as the home keeper scrambled to get the ball he was adjudged to have fouled Lee Blackburn.
Referee Mr Barratt dismissed Potter and Strevens had the task of sending sub keeper Alan Julian the wrong way as he drilled the ball into the keeper's bottom left-hand corner.
Crawley were not going to waste this opportunity to make it win number three and they grabbed the decisive third with seven minutes to go.
Edwards' shot was charged down on the edge of the box but the ball broke to Bostwick and after his first touch found him space in the area he wasted no time in drilling Crawley ahead for the first time.