The Scot spoke of his pride in his players, the club and the supporters for their response to events conspiring against them at Boundary Park.

Latics had Kai Payne sent off in the 14th minute and Kane Drummond in the 30th, with question marks over both decisions by referee David Rock.

The extra men ultimately told, with Danilo Orsi scoring the only goal of the game in the 52nd minute – bundling home after Charlie Barker had rattled the crossbar from distance.

However, Mellon was encouraged by how his players and the Oldham fans reacted to each setback.

He said: “I’m really proud of my players, really proud of the football club, the supporters for an unbelievable response under unbelievably trying circumstances and we will look at the positives that come out of it.

“We remained a threat the whole game and we’ll be disappointed that a few things don’t fall for us there.

“But only pride, and I mean that, I’m not going to play the victim in how everybody with an Oldham connection – fans, players, staff – responded to a very trying afternoon with real guts and a lot of real good character from everybody concerned, and we will take that forward with us.”

Mellon would not be drawn on either red card incident.

He added: “I won’t give anybody their day. I only want to talk about football. I love football, I really do, but that was very difficult this afternoon.

“When you think that you work all week and you put everything into a performance and then, without being over dramatic, your faith in the game really gets tested.

“But look at the qualities that we showed as a football club, that’s the important thing.

“Look how the supporters got right behind us, look how the players responded.”

Crawley interim manager Kevin Blackwell has picked up four points from his two games in charge, following the sacking of Colin Kazim-Richards, while this was Crawley’s first clean sheet in the league.

He said: “I’m pleased with the way we started, 11 v 11 we were on top, and then obviously the sendings off change the total nature of the game.

“I’m proud of the way they delivered the three points.

“The Oldham fans were questioning every decision from the referee and it makes it very difficult.

“A clean sheet at any time is good, even though against nine men.

“Once we got the goal I wanted to make sure that we kept the back-four in shape and (do) not go chasing the game.”

Of their battle to beat the drop, Blackwell added: “It’s clear what our target is now, let’s go on and do it.”