Top scorer Max Watters hit a hat-trick as Crawley clinched their first league win in seven games with a 4-2 home victory over 10-man Barrow.

A Tom Nichols penalty and Watters’ third goal in stoppage time saw the Reds pull clear before a crowd of 650 as spectators returned to the Broadfield Stadium for the first time since March.

For the second successive match Crawley were without head coach John Yems for personal reasons and assistant Lee Bradbury took charge.

The Reds broke the deadlock midway through the first half when striker Watters continued his remarkable run of scoring.

Former Doncaster man Watters latched onto a pass from the returning Sam Matthews to tuck home his 13th goal in 15 appearances.

Barrow levelled in controversial fashion 10 minutes later after being awarded a penalty, Tyler Frost being adjudged to have fouled Connor Brown.

Referee Neil Hair made the decision after consulting a linesman, and Josh Kay, after seeing his spot-kick blocked by keeper Glenn Morris, followed up to net the rebound.

Barrow made a perfect start to the second half when the recalled Sam Hird struck in the 50th minute to put them in front with a glancing header from a corner by Kay.

But the Reds drew level eight minutes later when Watters snaffled his 14th of the season from close range after a header by Nichols came back off the crossbar.

Barrow were reduced to 10 men in the 68th minute when defender Brown received a second yellow card for a bad tackle on Tom Dallison.

Former Bristol Rovers striker Nichols stepped up to make it 3-2 from the spot eight minutes from time, coolly slotting home after Matt Platt brought down substitute Ashley Nadesan.

And Watters sealed victory three minutes into stoppage time by completing his hat-trick on the counter attack from Nadesan’s unselfish pass.