Crawley’s unbeaten home run continues after The Iron were blown away by a three-goal flurry in the first half.
John Yems celebrated signing a new three-year deal with the Reds in style, with a resounding victory over a Scunthorpe side struggling for form.
Jordan Tunnicliffe headed in his first goal of the season inside five minutes, before Reece Grego-Cox doubled Crawley’s lead with a stunning strike, curling in off the post from distance.
Ollie Palmer left Scunthorpe with a mountain to climb on the stroke of half-time, as he fought hard for the ball before firing into the bottom corner.
Kevin van Veen pulled one back from the spot, but it wasn’t enough to take points off an in-form Crawley side.
John Yems made one change from Crawley’s draw with Plymouth in midweek, with Reece Grego-Cox replacing Tarryn Allarakhia.
Crawley made a fast start to the match and thought they had found an early opener when Bez Lubala fired in following a corner, but he was flagged offside by the linesman.
Crawley’s next set piece caused further problems when George Francomb whipped in a perfect free-kick for Jordan Tunnicliffe, who powered his header into the top corner from close range in the 5th minute, to give the Reds a deserved early lead.
Scunthorpe threatened when Kevin van Veen’s low effort at a tight angle was clawed away by Morris, before eventually being hacked clear.
The Reds got a stunning second, when another Francomb free-kick caused problems for the Iron, before falling to Reece Grego-Cox, who whipped an unstoppable strike into the top corner, to double Crawley’s lead on 22 minutes.
It could have been three for Crawley when Ashley Nadesan slid the ball across to Ollie Palmer, but a great Ian Lawlor save denied Palmer from close range.
Crawley were in again when Nadesan surged forwards on the counter, before playing in Bez Lubala who rounded Lawlor and scored, but for the second time he was denied by the assistant’s flag.
Crawley got their third just before half-time when Nadesan was played in by Grego-Cox, before beating his man and chipping a cross which fell to Ollie Palmer, who held the ball up before rifling into the bottom corner to make it three in the 44th minute.
Crawley continued their dominance in the second half, as once again Francomb’s delivery was inch-perfect, picking out an unmarked Palmer, who flicked his header onto the underside of the crossbar.
Scunthorpe were given a lifeline when Dannie Bulman tripped Levi Sutton in the box. Kevin van Veen stepped up, and made no mistake, sending Morris the wrong way to get the Iron back in the game on 57 minutes. It was a nervy second half, but Crawley were able to see out yet another victory, as their impressive home record continues.
Crawley Town: Morris, Doherty, Grego-Cox (Sesay 70), Palmer, Nadesan, Francomb (Powell 81), Tunnicliffe, Sendles-White, Bulman (Allarakhia 75), Dacres-Cogley, Lubala
Attendance: 2113 (218 Scunthorpe)
Report by Coren Blackburn
