Shaun Whalley celebrated his first senior hat-trick and earned £41,000 for Accrington Stanley as they celebrated a first round Emirates FA Cup win over League Two Crawley Town.

The 35-year-old winger struck twice in the first half and then again after the break to put the Reds in the draw for the second round with Ethan Hamilton adding the other.

It was much-needed morale boost for Stanley who had one win in their previous seven games.

Missing Ryan Astley (injury) and Doug Tharme (cup tied), John Coleman had to rejig his starting XI and, with nine substitutes, a number of academy players got their chance with the first team squad.

The Reds got off to a dream start with just one minute on the clock when keeper Ellery Balcombe couldn’t keep hold of Tommy Leigh’s shot and Whalley was there for an easy tap-in.

Crawley battled back with Jack Powell’s cross causing chaos and headed away by Baba Fernandes and, from the resulting corner, Jake Hessenthaler got the Red Devils back on level terms with a header at the near post on 18 minutes.

The League Two side continued to look dangerous but Stanley struck next on 22 minutes.

Joe Pritchard’s inch-perfect ball in from the left found Whalley rushing in and he glanced a header into the net.

It was three on 45 minutes from a well-worked set-piece when a Sean McConville corner found Hamilton who lost his marker and guided his shot into the top corner of the net.

Whalley struck again on 49 minutes when a long ball forward from Leigh found the winger and he finished superbly for a hat-trick.

Whalley had chances to add to his tally, firing just wide and Balcombe denying him, but Toby Savin was also in action on 71 minutes, denying sub Aramide Oteh by tipping his header over the bar.

Stanley broke from the resulting corner and Whalley came so close to a fifth but his strike deflected over the bar.

For the first time in four seasons, Stanley are in the hat for round two of the FA Cup.

Stanley: Savin, Clark, Fernandes, Rodgers, Conneely, Hamilton, Coyle (Martin), Whalley, McConville, Pritchard (Longelo), Leigh (Delfouneso)

Subs: Jensen, Nolan, Perritt, O’Brien, Adekoya, Pickles

Yellow: Coyle, Savin, Leigh