Grimsby Town set the standard for the season ahead with a dominant opening-day victory over newly-relegated Crawley Town at Blundell Park.

Jaze Kabia opened the scoring on his league debut with an early penalty and Cameron McJannet’s header made it 2-0 as the Mariners produced a relentless first-half performance.

Crawley had no answer to Town’s high-energy display as they attacked at pace and gave the visitors no time to settle on the ball.

And Evan Khouri added a third just after the hour to make the points safe and ensure the Mariners began the new Sky Bet League Two campaign with a home win.

Grimsby head coach David Artell’s first line-up of the season saw Christy Pym make his club debut in goal, behind a defence of Harvey Rodgers, Doug Tharme, McJannet and Jayden Sweeney.  George McEachran and Khouri sat behind Darragh Burns, Kieran Green and Charles Vernam in midfield, with Kabia leading the attack.

Seb Auton, Tyrell Warren, Geza Turi, Jamie Walker, Cameron Gardner, Justin Amaluzor and Henry Brown were all named on the bench.

Crawley arrived in Cleethorpes for their first game following relegation from League One last term and the Red Devils would have gone into the season aiming to bounce back to the third tier this time around.

Head coach Scott Lindsey named former Mariners midfielder Gavan Holohan in his starting XI, with striker Kabongo Tshimanga expected to provide the main threat to the Town defence.

FIRST HALF

Vernam created the first opening for the hosts with a driving run from the left, although his low cross was eventually cleared.

A free kick followed in a promising position when Kyle Scott was penalised for handball and a set-piece routine from it led to a chance for Sweeney, whose shot was pushed away by keeper Harvey Davies.

Crawley’s first attack came on seven minutes and resulted in a Charlie Barker long throw from the right.  It caused no problems though, as the referee blew for a Town free kick.

The hosts had made the better start and with 10 minutes on the clock, they were given a golden opportunity to break the deadlock when Davies was adjudged to have brought Green down inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot and KABIA confidently converted the penalty to mark his league debut with a goal.

Burns saw a cross headed out for a corner as Town immediately looked for a second goal and Vernam’s flag-kick turned into another one when McJannet’s near-post effort was turned behind. This time, Green met Vernam’s ball in a similar area but missed the target.

Holohan was unable to get on the end of a cross from the Crawley right, then Burns slid another low Vernam cross wide of the near post at the other end.

Kabia then saw a shot blocked for a corner after a flowing move down the Grimsby right as the home side continued to dominate.  This time, Green sent a header just over the bar from Burns’ delivery.

Barker had to head a Burns cross behind for another corner on 25 minutes but Town were unable to make it count, then the visitors won a corner of their own but McEachran brought Scott’s low ball clear.

Scott saw the first yellow card of the afternoon seconds later for bringing Vernam down near the halfway line and McEachran’s resulting free kick led to a corner on the right.  From it, the Mariners doubled their advantage as the ball was played short to Vernam and his cross was headed past Davies by McJANNET.

The visitors were forced into making the first substitution on 37 minutes when Harry Forster went down with an injury. After receiving treatment on the pitch, he was replaced by Antony Papadopoulos.

Jay Williams blocked a strike from Vernam as Town continued to dominate, then Kabia won a corner following a free kick for a push on Khouri.  The hosts kept possession after Rodgers retrieved Vernam’s cross on the left but they could not create a chance in front of goal.

Seven added minutes were played at the end of the first half and the Mariners were inches away from making it 3-0 when Kabia dispossessed Kabia on the edge of the box, only to see his shot bounce off the bar to safety.

No further chances came before the referee’s whistle, so Town went in at the break with a commanding lead as their reward for a superb first-half display.

SECOND HALF

No further changes were made before the restart and Holohan won an early corner for the away side, which was cleared by Green.

Rodgers deflected a Papadopoulos shot over the bar for another corner on 56 minutes but again, it was well-defended.  Crawley kept possession until Reece Brown fired well over the bar from distance.

Holohan and Brown made way for Jack Roles and Louie Watson in a double-substitution for Crawley just before the hour.

By now, Town were back on top and Davies had to come off his line to make a block from Sweeney after the left-back met a pass from Vernam inside the box.

A shot from Burns was blocked on 63 minutes but seconds later, the Mariners had their third goal, as a loose ball from substitute Watson was headed on for KHOURI, who made no mistake with a low strike to the bottom-right corner of Davies’ net from the edge of the penalty area.

Tshimanga had an opportunity to pull a goal back on 67 minutes after Crawley broke following a penalty appeal at the other end when McEachran went down.  The former Chesterfield striker could not take the chance though, as his shot looped over the bar.

Town were straight back on the attack and a cross from Green had to be headed behind for a corner, then Davies dived to stop another driven delivery from Green on the right.

Rodgers won a corner and when it was headed away, Vernam headed a Khouri half-volley on but the ball dropped wide.

Walker and Gardner replaced Green and Kabia as Artell looked to his bench for the first time with 14 minutes remaining.

Louie Flower replaced Tshimanga and Fate Kotey came on for Harry McKirdy in a double-change for Crawley soon afterwards.

Amaluzor then came on for the impressive Burns with eight minutes remaining, as Town continued to look for more goals.

And Warren and Brown completed the Town substitutions as they replaced Rodgers and Vernam on 86 minutes.

Dion Conroy was booked for a foul just before the game moved into a minimum of five added minutes, then Davies had to touch the ball over his bar from a Gardner cross-shot.

Amaluzor tried an acrobatic volley as he met Walker’s chip to the far post but he could not direct the ball towards goal.

And that proved to be the last opportunity to add to the score as the Mariners collected all three points to get their season up and running.

Town are next in action on Saturday, when they will be backed by a sold-out away following as they travel to Harrogate Town.

Town: Pym, Rodgers (Warren, 86), Tharme, McJannet, Sweeney, McEachran, Khouri, Burns (Amaluzor, 82), Green (Walker, 76), Vernam (Brown, 86), Kabia (Gardner, 76)

Subs not used: Auton, Turi