A DEFENSIVE horrorshow by Gornal helped the potent strike-force of newly promoted Black Country Rangers to a comprehensive opening day victory.

Despite opening and closing the scoring, a second-half collapse by the visitors gifted five goals to their hosts.

Gornal started the stronger side and could have been two goals to the good within the first three minutes as Rangers keeper James Wood reacted smartly to first deny Cameron Morgan and then Marvin Nisbett.

The away side continued to carve out the best of the chances and on 21 minutes a Matt Martin shot from the edge of the area flew just inches over. Seconds later excellent work from Calum Martin left Nisbett with the goal at his mercy only for Wood to once again perform heroics.

The breakthrough finally arrived shortly afterwards, when excellent work from Nisbett on the right wing led to Morgan being felled by Adam Harris for a penalty which was duly dispatched by Dave Meese.

What was a well-earned lead lasted just seven minutes when a catalogue of defensive lapses on the left of Gornal’s defense allowed Steve Bowes to set up Alec Roberts for the equaliser.

Four minutes after the break a needlessly conceded free kick was fired home impressively by Jason Wood to give Rangers the lead.

From thereon in Gornal’s defence crumbled and three goals in ten minutes put the game beyond doubt.

First, substitute Lee Chilton took advantage of weak marking to drive home on 76 minutes, before Roberts doubled his tally on 81 minutes heading home unchallenged from a corner.

In between the hammer blows, Pemberton did his best to single-handedly hold off the Rangers tide, saving impressively from Bowes and Roberts.

It was the impressive Bowes who wrapped up the Rangers scoring on 84 minutes, waltzing through the Gornal defence and drilling past the despairing dive of Pemberton.

A debut goal from Gornal centre-half John Hill from long-range in the closing minutes was scant consolation for Gornal, who were left to reflect on a series of costly lapses in concentration at the back.

RANGERS: Jamie Wood; Jamie Hurdman; Adam Harris; Russell Garner; Shane Parkes; Richard Bayley (Lee Chilton, 76); Chris Bladen (Douglas Gould, 56); Jason Wood; Kevin Hadlington (Elliot Skelding, 62); Alec Roberts; Steve Bowes (Captain).

GORNAL: James Pemberton; Richard Young (Ravi Sangha, 77); Pete Wood; John Hill; Chris Waterhouse (Captain); Matt Martin (Kristian Green, 66); Dave Meese; Lee Wherton; Cameron Morgan (Matt Weyman, 62); Calum Martin; Marvin Nisbett.