Crawley town started the season with a victory after captain Jimmy Smith’s goal proved to be the winner against Wycombe Wanderers at the Checkatrade stadium.

It was Wycombe who had the game’s first chance as a goalmouth scramble with 15 minutes played saw efforts from Southwell and O’Nien cleared off the line before centre back Aaron Pierre forced a good save from the Crawley goalkeeper Yusuf Mersin.

Crawley looked good going forward themselves as James Collins had a left footed shot well saved by Wycombe goalkeeper Scott Brown after he was released by Jordan Roberts down the left.

A mistake at the back from Wycombe allowed Roberts to nearly capitalise with a stinging left footed shot but it was well matched by the away side shot stopper. With half time approaching, a Jacobson free kick was met by commanding centre-back Pierre at the back post and his header towards the front post was tipped wide Mersin.

After the break, both sides threatened to score. Wycombe left-back Jacobson saw another dangerous corner hit the bar while Crawley had the ball in the net but it was rightly disallowed after Enzio Boldewijn had run the ball out of play.

On the hour mark, Crawley made the breakthrough. Smith stole possession from Bloomfield in the Wycombe box and coolly slotted the ball past Brown from 12 yards out to equal his goal tally from last season.

The home side were now in the ascendency and were on the search for a second but shots from Smith and Josh Payne failed to trouble Brown in the Wycombe goal.

Wycombe brought on Adebayo Akinfenwa from the bench but the 34-year-old struggled to make a real impact on the game.

Crawley left-back Andre Blackman talked himself into a late sending off but new manager Dermot Drummy saw his side see out the game and pick up their first home victory since March.

Crawley Town: Mersin, Young, Connolly, McNerney, Blackman, Smith, Payne, Boldewijn (Yussuf, 94), Banton (Clifford, 81), Roberts, Collins (Harrold, 88).

Wycombe Wanderers: Brown, Harriman (Jombati, 88), Stewart, Pierre, Jacobson, Bean, Southwell, Weston (Bloomfield, 13), Wood, Thompson, O’Nien (Akinfenwa, 63).

Referee: Nick Kinseley

Attendance: 2,471

Man of the match: Joe McNerney