Goals fly in as East Sussex Football League’s 23-24 season begins

Punnetts hit the ground running with a 9-2 win at home to St Leonards Social as 32 goals were scored in Saturday's six Premier Division matches.

Michael Keefe plundered a hat-trick, Callum Holles bagged a brace, and one apiece from Josh Albert, Alex Burton, Tristan Jarvis and Patrick Johnson made up Punnetts' tally. Mark Larkin and Rob Mitchell replied for Social.

Hollington United, who beat Punnetts in the Sussex Intermediate Challenge Cup semi-finals last term, marked their return to the league in style with a 5-0 victory at home to Bexhill Town.

Casey Ham, Kian Moynes, Lewis Neech, Danny Spice and Pat Willis netted for Hollington against last season's top flight runners-up and Macron Store Hastings Cup winners.

The 2022/23 Division One champions, Sandhurst, also hit five, including four from the 80th minute onwards as they came from 2-1 down to record a 5-2 success away to Sidley United.

James Found maintained last season's red-hot form in front of goal with a hat-trick for Sandhurst, whose other scorers were Rob Briley and Harry Morrell.

Sidley recovered from Briley's strike in the opening minute to be level at half time through Archie Ball and then lead via Zak Dangerfield, but couldn't hold out.

Rye Town made a winning start in defence of their title as they triumphed 3-1 at home to newly-promoted The JC Tackleway.

Strikes by William Brown, Sam Cooper and Charlie Stevens got Rye up and running for 2023/24, despite Kale Hakos finding the target for Tackleway.

Last season's Hastings & District FA Intermediate Cup runners-up Crowhurst scored once in either half to run out 2-0 winners away to Westfield II.

Reece Johnson put the Crows ahead with a superb overhead kick and Wes Tate added a late second to secure the three points.

Having only narrowly avoided relegation last term, Hawkhurst United made an encouraging start this time around with a 2-1 victory at home to Bexhill AAC.

George Lawrence and Marco Palumbo put the Hawks two-up with 15 minutes to go, and although Ben Barton got one back, the home side held on.

Six more Premier Division fixtures are scheduled for tomorrow (Saturday) before the league's other four divisions get underway next weekend.

Fixtures - Saturday August 26

Premier Division (2pm): Bexhill AAC v Sidley United, Bexhill Town v Punnetts Town, Crowhurst v Hollington United, Hawkhurst United v Rye Town, St Leonards Social v Sandhurst, The JC Tackleway v Westfield II.