Until last Saturday only three of Crawley's League One games had finished goalless but there have now been two back-to-back 0-0 draws after Reds were frustrated by Swindon at The Checkatrade.com Stadium on a chilly Tuesday night.
Swindon's Wes Foderingham was the much busier keeper but he made important saves to deny Andy Drury and Billy Clarke in the second half while skipper Josh Simpson also went close with strikes from just inside the box, but it wasn't to be for a frustrated home side, who do rise a place in the table to 12th after extending their unbeaten run to four games.
Richie Barker made one change to the side which drew 0-0 with Walsall on Saturday with Simpson returning to midfield in place of Mike Jones, who dropped to the bench because of a slight groin problem.
Swindon lined up without a recognised central striker while Nicky Adams had a roving brief for Reds and he had the first shot at goal on three minutes after intercepting a poor clearance, but his 25 yarder was comfortably held by Wes Foderingham.
Adams' cross was then cleared for a throw, allowing James Hurst to fizz a diagonal pass into the box which was only just too strong for Jamie Proctor, lurking on the penalty spot.
Swindon threatened for the first time on 19 minutes when ex-Red Nicky Ajose won them a corner which was played back to Yaser Kasim on the edge of the box and his drive took a deflection as it flew over.
Two minutes later Reds nearly took a bizarre lead. With Foderingham hopelessly out of position, Andy Drury managed to turn a diagonal ball from Kyle McFadzean back across the face of goal but there was no one in a red shirt to apply the finishing touch.
Ajose thought he had broken the deadlock in the 26th minute when he turned to fire in Massimo Luongo's cross but used his hand in doing so and referee Andy D'Urso ruled it out. Mark Connolly led the response with a skimming drive from distance which Foderingham pushed away for a corner that came to nothing.
Proctor then forced Foderingham to hold his low drive before Hurst picked out the striker with a cross but his header lacked the power and direction to trouble the Swindon No.1.
Four minutes before the break Foderingham was relieved to see Simpson's angled drive flash just past his far post after a good break by the hosts and moments later Drury had the ball in the net after a great move down the left but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Reds would have been pleased with their efforts at half-time despite failing to score and they began the second period on the front foot with Proctor's header from Hurst's cross forcing Foderingham into another save.
On 54 minutes space opened up again for Simpson whose right-foot drive went just past the post as the home side pressed then Proctor did superbly on the left but his attempt to find Clarke was cut out and when Swindon broke Kyle McFadzean had to haul down Danny N'Guessan and received a yellow card.
With three-quarters of the contest gone it was hard to see where the breakthrough was going to come but Foderingham was still the much busier keeper although he was relieved that Drury's shot on the turn after good work by Adams was straight at him with 20 minutes to go. Moments later Drury and Proctor made way for Gary Alexander and Emile Sinclair as Reds made a double change.
Nathan Byrne went into the book for a crude challenge on Adams and with 12 minutes to go Sinclair had a dig from 25 yards but it was a couple of yards over the top.
Swindon finished with ten men after Byrne's return to Crawley ended in a second yellow late on for handball but the ten men held on for their first draw since September 7 although Billy Clarke thought he had broken through in the 90th minute but Foderingham was again in the right place to keep out his volley from ten yards.