ANDOVER Town and Portland United were the night’s big winners as the 2017/18 Sydenhams Premier season got off to an eventful start.

Zach Glasspool weighed in with two goals as Andover crushed Bemerton Heath Harlequins 6-1 at the Portway Stadium.

And there was an identical scoreline in Dorset where reigning league champions Portland overwhelmed a young Team Solent side unrecognisable from last season.

Goalkeeper Josh Milsom saved a Portland penalty and sub Tom Bickley netted a late consolation for Solent. But it was the champions’ night as Ryan McKechnie (2), Lewis Clarke, Alex Godfrey, Alex Halloran and sub Solomon Ayunga got Simon Browne’s managerial reign off to a flying start.

Glenn Burnett’s Andover led 2-1 at the break before overwhelming the Harlequins in front of a 151 crowd in north Hampshire. Joining brace man Glasspool on the scoresheet were Reece Rusher, Mike Gosney, Luke Dempsey and Jason Silver.

Debutant Connor Kelly scored Sholing’s second in a 2-0 win at Cowes Sports after Lee Wort had headed the Boatmen in front.

Byron Mason twice thumped the woodwork for Sholing and Cowes – who had a man sent off with 20 minutes to go – forced a couple of outstanding saves from visiting keeper Ryan Gosney.

An eventful second half at Westwood Park saw the game halted for ten minutes due to a floodlight failure.

Like Sholing, Blackfield & Langley should be in the title mix come the end of the campaign.

They too got off to a winning start, pipping Amesbury Town 1-0 at Gang Warily. Joe Butcher, the Watersiders’ summer signing from Newport IW, netted the 70th-minute winner.

Dave Parry was Alresford Town’s last-gasp hero in a dramatic 1-0 win at AFC Portchester.

The game looked to be petering out to a goalless draw when Magpies’ keeper Dan Kempson launched the ball upfield following a corner and Parry found the killer finish.

It ended 1-0 too at Bournemouth Poppies where Sami Makhloufi’s 68th-minute header from Fawzi Saadi’s corner put paid to Brockenhurst 1-0.

Sydenhams One champions Hamble Club twice battled back from behind to draw 2-2 at home to Newport IW in their first ever Premier Division game.

Fellow promoted side Baffins Milton Rovers triumphed 3-1 at newly-relegated Petersfield Town – Joel Jackson, Tyler Moret and Lewis Stockford the BMR scorers.

Ash Howes and Dan Sackman set Horndean on their way to a 2-1 result at Fareham Town.

The Deans had Ian Humble sent off for a second yellow leading up to Simon Woods’ penalty reply for Town. Fareham were also reduced to ten late on.

Not every game produced goals, however, as Hamworthy United v Lymington Town and Shaftesbury v Bashley ended 0-0.