Kamari Doyle scored in the first half to help Crawley claim a 1-0 victory over Bristol Rovers under the guidance of new manager Scott Lindsey.
Following a five-month tenure at MK Dons, Lindsey took over from Rob Elliot and secured Crawley's first win in nine games, putting them nine points away from safety.
Bristol Rovers, on the other hand, have been struggling with six defeats in their last seven matches on the road and are currently six points above the relegation zone in League One.
Lindsey acknowledged before the match that Crawley would likely need to win six or seven of their remaining nine games to avoid relegation.
The breakthrough came in the 19th minute as Rushian Hepburn-Murphy's run set up Kamari Doyle to score from 12 yards out, beating goalkeeper Jed Ward.
Despite the lead, Doyle missed a chance to double the advantage shortly after the goal.
Crawley continued to threaten, forcing Ward to make a save just before halftime from a shot by Hepburn-Murphy.
Isaac Hutchinson, a former loanee at Crawley, tested debutant keeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala with a shot early in the second half, but Bristol Rovers were unable to find the equalizer due to their lack of attacking sharpness.