Pagham start season with 6-1 at Langney - report and reaction

The Lions simply flew out the gates at the start and took the lead as early as the eighth minute in their first real attack. Maciek Kason, in goal, threw the ball out to Jack Barnes, who knocked the ball on to Jared Rance. His cross to the far post was hammered home by Callum Chalmers.

A quarter of an hour later it was 2-0 after a throw-in by Ryan Hallett was collected by Barnes who passed on to Rance once again. And once again his cross found Chalmers at the far post. This time he passed across the area to Joe Clarke who joyously rammed the ball home.

Seven minutes later it was 3-0 as Chalmers put in his claim for goal of the season. Rance’s long cross across the pitch fell nicely for Chalmers who volleyed it over the keeper and into the net from 25 yards.

Fifteen minutes into the second period Clarke set up the ball for David Crouch, who rifled home. And it could have been five six minutes later when Barnes' 35-yard shot bounced back off the bar.

It was 5-0 after 83 minutes when Rance shot home from the spot after Sam Connolly was judged to have been brought down in the box. Wanderers pulled a goal back near the end when Ali Mekawir scored but there was still time for Pagham to grab a late sixth through Jake Heryet.

Boss Kerry Hardwell was understandbly delighted: "We knew the game would be a real battle against Langney after their impressive win in the week in the FA Cup so we knew we’d have to improve on our performance levels from Tuesday and that’s what we did.

"The boys were excellent throughout and ruthless in front of goal, something we lacked last season. We scored some fantastic goals and it was great to see the work that Ryan Pharo, Lou Haga Hammond and Jack Millard have put in over the summer on the training pitch pay off.

"It was great for new signings Maciej Kason, Tom Atkinson, Jack Williamson, Sam Connelly, Jared Rance and David Crouch to get their first SCFL starts and all of the new signings that have come in over the summer really have added quality to the group.

"We really needed to improve the squad from last season with quality and numbers and I think we’ve done that very well - and those who were missing Saturday will all have massive roles in the squad this season.

"It’s excellent to get two wins in the first week, especially last Tuesday in the FA Cup - that was massive for the club and personally for me it was great to see old and new faces coming through the turnstiles - football hasn’t been the same without people watching.

Pagham: Kason, Atkinson, Hallett, Clarke, Jelley, Williamson, Chalmers, Barnes, Crouch, Connolly, Rance. Subs: Hawkes, Carroll, Radmore, Heryet, Funnell.