Blades are just too sharp for champions Sedgley

Having taken top honours in the Concentric Sales & Lettings Championship on goal difference last term, Sporting opened their defence of the crown with a 4-2 loss.

Blades led 2-1 at the interval, but Sporting levelled for a second time early in the second period. However, Blades finished strongly and added two further goals to take the spoils and get their campaign off to a winning start.

On target for the victors were Jack Hill, Todd Ferrier, Tyler Goodyear and Dan Hadley, the replies coming from Tom Timmins and Liam Johns. At the double were the FC Premier U21 trio of Regan Palethorpe, Curtis Bullock and Luke Arkinstall-Shore in a comfortable 7-3 home triumph over newcomers Gunmakers Arms. Kasen Peace rounded off the scoring for Premier, while Max Hindley, Jack Perry and Mathew Davies replied for the new boys who had opened the scoring after just five minutes.

Dudley Rangers United also found the goal trail on day one, hitting visiting league debutants Widdas FC 7-2. United were well served by Alex Cameron, Adam Garmson (both two), Ollie Hartland, Joe Sidaway and Jake Walton. Responding were James Gadd and Nathan Guest.

Completing the action in this section were Trysull Athletic and Codsall Station, with maximum points going to the former thanks to a late own goal. Steve Rickhuss had given Trysull a 35th-minute advantage from the penalty spot, before Liam Davies levelled on the hour mark.

There was early knockout action in the league’s flagship Lester Charity Cup as CTS United eased to a 7-2 success at AFC Wulfrunians Vets over30s.

Will Stokes, with a hat-trick, Ashley Walker, Jack Clarke, Delano Webley and Akio Ellis netted for CTS.

Gornal Rangers led a goal spree in the Paycare Development Division, emerging resounding 8-2 victors at Bushbury Hill.

Although they finished the game with nine players, following two red cards, Rangers had Ty Markland and Liam Cullen notching hat-tricks, with Tom Gwinnell and Jae Fitzpatrick completing the scoring. Bushbury, who also had a player dismissed, replied through Nathan Wright and Archie Harris with well taken free kicks.

Wombourne Athletic impressed on their league bow, running out comfortable 7-0 winners at home to AFC Willenhall as Brandon Malpass top scored on the day with a four-goal return. Good support came from Morgan McConnell, Ben Aust and Adam Thompson.

It was six of the best for visiting Sedgley Rangers as Greg Corbett fired three in a 6-2 victory at local rivals Sporting Gornal. The trio of Jordan Robinson, Alex Pinches and Ste Garbutt made it half a dozen for Rangers, with replies from Cory Massey and Grant Davies.

New boys AFC Goldthorne, Sedgley & Gornal United East and Hagley United were soon off the mark with respective wins over Sporting Black Country (5-3), Lane Head Titans (4-2) and Brandhall Colts (2-1).

Goldthorne came from 2-0 down in the first half to claim all three points thanks to Harry Lammas, Connor Bentley, Raife Cooper, Jake Ward and Alex Duffield. Scott Pearson replied with a double for Sporting, who also had Dom Weathers finding the target.

In a close encounter, Hagley came from behind to pick up maximum spoils thanks to Nathan Johns and Scott Hykin. Keeping things close was Brandhall’s Taylor Nolan.

Two late goals enabled Sedgley & Gornal East to finally edge out battling Lane Head as Daniel Hickman (two), Jack Merrick and Jayden Joseph-Johnson netted, with both replies from Frankie Harper.

In the final fixture of the week, Kewford Eagles West edged home away to fellow newcomers Sedgley White Lions West as the trio of Jack Dando, Dylan Moore and Dylan Stokes netted. Josh Seabourne, who had broken the deadlock, grabbed both for the Lions.