Penalty Call Sparks Debate in Crawley Town's league opener against Grimsby Town

Crawley Town suffered a 3-0 defeat to Grimsby Town on the opening day of the season, but one controversial decision stole the spotlight, with former Premier League referee Keith Hackett later describing the call as "harsh."

Grimsby's opening goal, scored just 10 minutes in, grabbed national attention for all the wrong reasons.

The Mariners were awarded a penalty when Crawley goalkeeper Harvey Davies was judged to have brought down Kieran Green inside the box. Referee Scott Jackson pointed to the spot immediately, leaving both sets of supporters inside the ground visibly surprised.

Footage from the match appeared to show Davies getting a clear touch on the ball before any contact with the man, sparking widespread debate online and raising questions about the officiating.

Speaking to Football Insider, former top-flight referee Keith Hackett gave his verdict:

"It's an interesting one. I've looked at this again — the goalkeeper, as far as I'm concerned, has every right to go for the ball. He got the first touch.

"What the referee has to decide is whether his actions were careless or reckless. I think this is a harsh penalty. I'd have given him the benefit of the doubt. If you're going to award a penalty, you need to be 100% sure.

"The goalkeeper made a genuine attempt to play the ball, not the man. It's not one I would have expected to be given."

The penalty was calmly converted by Jaze Kabia, setting the tone for a difficult afternoon for the Reds. Cameron McJannet doubled the lead on the half-hour mark before Evan Khouri sealed a deserved win for the hosts with a third in the second half.

 it was a tough return to League Two following relegation for Crawley, and Scott Lindsey now has a full week on the training ground to address concerns ahead of Saturday's home clash with Newport County at the Broadfield Stadium.