Gary Alexander helped Crawley get their League One campaign off to a flying start against a wasteful Scunthorpe.

The new Crawley skipper tapped his side into the lead after Hope Akpan had knocked the ball down into his path.

And he doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after being hauled down in the box by Scunthorpe's Tom Newey.

On-loan Jonathan Forte added a third late on when he rounded keeper Sam Slocombe, while the Iron's Mark Duffy was sent off for a second yellow.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Crawley Town manager Richie Barker told BBC Sussex:

"It certainly wasn't perfect and we were disappointed by the amount of chances Scunthorpe created.

"We're in League One now and you're never going to dominate a game the whole way through, whether you're at the top or bottom. Certainly Scunthorpe had more chances and it could have ended up 6-3.

"The games come thicker and faster for the next couple of weeks and we are going to struggle until we get more time on the training ground, but we will try and continue to improve."

Scunthorpe United manager Alan Knill told BBC Radio Humberside:

"You saw it, it's never a 3-0 game, we've probably had better chances than the home team.

"I didn't think the ref's performance was too good at the crucial moments and when he looks back at the penalty he'll think it's pretty soft, we did and it kind of killed the game really.

"There was some good performances and positives to take out of it, and with the first game you don't want to lose 3-0 but it wasn't a 3-0 game."

Catch up with all the latest highlights from League One on the Football League Show

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (4)

Crawley Town

  • 01 Jones
  • 03 Sadler
  • 04 Connolly
  • 05 McFadzean
  • 28 Davis Booked
  • 06 Akpan
  • 07 Clarke (Forte - 74' )
  • 11 Simpson
  • 15 Bulman (Torres - 83' )
  • 16 Adams (Ajose - 87' )
  • 09 Alexander

Substitutes

  • 25 Kuipers
  • 13 Hunt
  • 08 Torres
  • 18 Cooper
  • 22 Neilson
  • 10 Forte
  • 14 Ajose

Scunthorpe United

  • 01 Slocombe
  • 02 Ribeiro
  • 03 Kennedy
  • 05 Mirfin
  • 21 Newey
  • 04 Walker Booked
  • 07 Ryan
  • 16 Duffy Dismissed after an earlier booking
  • 09 Grant
  • 10 Grella
  • 11 Barcham (Jennings - 79' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Severn
  • 15 Canavan
  • 20 Howe
  • 14 Gibbons
  • 18 Hughes
  • 12 Jennings
  • 23 Keegan
Ref: Malone
Att: 3,172

Match Stats

Shots

19 11

On target

10 6

Corners

8 6

Fouls

10 15

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:08 Full time

Full Time The final whistle goes and the game is over.

90:00 +4:08

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Josh Walker from the left by-line, Headed effort from inside the penalty area by Connor Jennings misses to the right of the target.

90:00 +3:18

The assistant referee flags for offside against Nick Ajose. Indirect free kick taken by Sam Slocombe.

90:00 +2:40

Mat Sadler takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +2:40 Booking

Booking The referee cautions Josh Walker for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +2:37

Josh Walker challenges Sergio Torres unfairly and gives away a free kick.

90:00 +0:52

Unfair challenge on Claude Davis by Bobby Grant results in a free kick. Kyle McFadzean takes the free kick.

89:42

Header by Bobby Grant from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the goal.

88:45

Shot by Josh Walker. Blocked by Hope Akpan.

88:25

Mat Sadler challenges Jimmy Ryan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Christian Ribeiro takes the direct free kick.

87:23

Short corner worked by Nick Ajose.

86:27 Substitution

Substitution (Crawley Town) makes a substitution, with Nick Ajose coming on for Nicky Adams.

85:00

Mark Duffy concedes a free kick for a foul on Sergio Torres. Free kick crossed right-footed by Nicky Adams, save by Sam Slocombe.

85:00 Dismissal

Dismissal Mark Duffy sent from the field by the ref for second bookable offence.

83:14

Bobby Grant takes a shot. Save made by Paul Jones.

82:16 Substitution

Substitution Sergio Torres comes on in place of Dannie Bulman.

81:58

Effort from inside the area by Josh Walker misses to the left of the goal.

80:56

Inswinging corner taken by Josh Walker from the left by-line, Connor Jennings takes a shot. Claude Davis makes a clearance.

79:38

The assist for the goal came from Hope Akpan.

79:38 Goal scored

Goal - Jonathan Forte - Crawley 3 - 0 Scunthorpe Jonathan Forte finds the net with a headed goal from just inside the edge of the penalty box. Crawley Town 3-0 Scunthorpe.

78:10 Substitution

Substitution Connor Jennings is brought on as a substitute for Andy Barcham.

77:00 Booking

Booking Claude Davis goes into the referee's book.

76:39

Bobby Grant produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar. Foul by Claude Davis on Andy Barcham, awarded.

76:22

Tom Newey fouled by Gary Alexander, the ref awards a free kick. David Mirfin restarts play with the free kick.

74:31

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Nicky Adams, Headed effort from inside the area by Kyle McFadzean misses to the left of the goal.

73:47

Foul by David Mirfin on Gary Alexander, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Nicky Adams.

72:25 Substitution

Substitution Jonathan Forte replaces Billy Clarke.

72:25

Shot from 30 yards from Hope Akpan. Blocked by Josh Walker. Effort on goal by Hope Akpan from just inside the penalty area goes over the target.

71:13

The referee blows for offside against Billy Clarke. Indirect free kick taken by Sam Slocombe.

67:46

Free kick awarded for a foul by Kyle McFadzean on Bobby Grant. Jimmy Ryan takes the free kick.

63:45 Goal scored

Goal - Gary Alexander - Crawley 2 - 0 Scunthorpe Penalty taken right-footed by Gary Alexander and scored. Crawley Town 2-0 Scunthorpe.

63:10

Tom Newey challenges Gary Alexander unfairly and gives away a Penalty.

60:17

Josh Simpson is caught offside. Sam Slocombe takes the indirect free kick.

59:37

Corner taken left-footed by Billy Clarke, Kyle McFadzean takes a shot. Clearance made by Andy Barcham.

57:15

Mark Duffy challenges Hope Akpan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Claude Davis.

56:27

The assistant referee signals for offside against Bobby Grant. Kyle McFadzean takes the free kick.

55:19

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Connolly by Andy Barcham. Direct free kick taken by Mark Connolly.

53:40

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mike Grella by Claude Davis. Josh Walker crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.

52:39

Gary Alexander gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Tom Newey. Free kick taken by Tom Newey.

48:42

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Duffy by Hope Akpan. Free kick taken by Josh Walker.

47:39

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Connolly by Mike Grella. Direct free kick taken by Mark Connolly.

46:28

Andy Barcham challenges Kyle McFadzean unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Paul Jones.

45:01

The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.

45:00 +3:23 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

45:00 +0:32

Corner taken by Josh Walker, Claude Davis manages to make a clearance.

44:49

Free kick awarded for a foul by Josh Simpson on Andy Barcham. Free kick taken by Callum Kennedy.

42:39

Corner taken left-footed by Callum Kennedy, clearance by Hope Akpan. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Josh Walker, Shot from close range by David Mirfin misses to the right of the target.

42:09

Nicky Adams is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Tom Newey takes the free kick.

38:36

Inswinging corner taken by Nicky Adams from the left by-line, Gary Alexander has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the target.

37:58

The referee blows for offside against Gary Alexander. Free kick taken by Sam Slocombe.

35:48

Gary Alexander takes a shot. Save by Sam Slocombe.

32:51

Assist on the goal came from Hope Akpan.

32:09

Foul by David Mirfin on Billy Clarke, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Nicky Adams,

32:51

Assist on the goal came from Hope Akpan. Nicky Adams produces a cross,

32:51 Goal scored

Goal - Gary Alexander - Crawley 1 - 0 Scunthorpe Goal scored by Gary Alexander from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Crawley Town 1-0 Scunthorpe.

32:09

Free kick awarded for a foul by David Mirfin on Billy Clarke. Nicky Adams takes the direct free kick,

30:58

Shot from just outside the penalty box by Hope Akpan misses to the left of the target.

28:58

Gary Alexander has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the goal.

24:49

Corner taken right-footed by Nicky Adams, Sam Slocombe makes a save.

24:06

Nicky Adams takes a shot. Tom Newey gets a block in.

23:37

Bobby Grant gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Claude Davis. Kyle McFadzean restarts play with the free kick.

23:11

The referee blows for offside against Mat Sadler. Sam Slocombe takes the indirect free kick.

22:34

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Mark Connolly by Bobby Grant. Direct free kick taken by Paul Jones.

22:07

Billy Clarke takes a shot. Save by Sam Slocombe.

21:12

Tom Newey fouled by Gary Alexander, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Tom Newey.

18:05

Unfair challenge on Gary Alexander by Tom Newey results in a free kick. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Nicky Adams, save by Sam Slocombe. Corner taken right-footed by Nicky Adams from the right by-line to the near post, Jimmy Ryan manages to make a clearance.

14:51

Hope Akpan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Andy Barcham. Direct free kick taken by Callum Kennedy.

13:55

Claude Davis takes the direct free kick.

13:55 Booking

Booking Mark Duffy receives a caution for dissent.

13:39

Hope Akpan fouled by David Mirfin, the ref awards a free kick.

12:42

Christian Ribeiro has an effort at goal from 30 yards. Kyle McFadzean gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Josh Walker, clearance by Mat Sadler.

12:03

Mike Grella takes a shot. Save made by Paul Jones.

11:03

Nicky Adams takes a outswinging corner to the near post, Header from deep inside the area by Gary Alexander goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

10:24

Andy Barcham is ruled offside. Kyle McFadzean restarts play with the free kick.

10:07

Nicky Adams takes a shot. Sam Slocombe makes a save.

8:45

Billy Clarke has an effort at goal from outside the box striking the post. Effort on goal by Gary Alexander from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.

7:17

Corner taken short by Nicky Adams.

6:37

Josh Walker gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kyle McFadzean. Free kick taken by Mat Sadler.

5:34

Nicky Adams takes a shot. Save by Sam Slocombe.

2:25

Shot from 20 yards by Jimmy Ryan. Blocked by Kyle McFadzean.

0:37

Gary Alexander produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the crossbar.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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