GORNAL Athletic kick-started their season as they smashed four past sorry Dudley Sports.

David Meese opened the scoring after just 70 seconds when he headed home Lee Wherton’s free-kick.

Gornal had numerous chances to extend the lead but found visiting keeper Sam Pearson in fine form, before Pete Wood finally scrambled a second just before the break.

Substitutes Matt Martin and Ravi Sangha completed the rout in the second half.

The four goal margin flattered Sports more than it did Gornal, who would have won by many more were it not for the efforts of Pearson.

Victory was the perfect tonic for Ian Rowe’s men after their shuddering opening day defeat at Black Country Rangers, though perhaps a fairer assessment of their aspirations can be made after Saturday’s meeting with AFC Wulfrunians.

In contrast, opposite numbers Tony Gore and Paul Blakeley will already be worried.

On the evidence of the first two games, Sports have a major problem defending set pieces and in a rough-and-tumble league such as the West Midlands Premier, it's an ailment which will often prove fatal. If not addressed quickly, Sports could be in for a very long season indeed.

As in their first game against Cradley, they conceded early. Defender James Taylor gave away a free-kick out on the left and from Wherton’s inswinging delivery, Meese planted a header which hit the underside of the bar before bouncing over the line.

It was a dream start for the hosts and they quickly set about looking to make it two, only to find Pearson a constant barrier.

Marvin Nisbett was the first to be denied by the young keeper, who spread himself to deflect the striker’s bobbling shot behind after he had easily outpaced a lumbering Taylor to a through ball.

The same striker had his head in his hands soon after when Pearson somehow clawed his goalbound header round the post. Meese was also denied twice, the second time by a brave effort from the stopper, who threw himself at the striker’s feet.

In between, Chris Waterhouse sent a header just over, while Sports’ inability to confidently deal with corners saw them twice frantically scramble the ball off the line with Gornal players ready to pounce.

The visitors’ efforts, if they can be called that, consisted of wayward shots off target by Craig Stevens and Craig Nisbett.

When Gornal did finally make it two, six minutes before the break, it again came thanks to some poor Sports defending. Once more a Wherton set piece was not dealt with and after Nisbett had narrowly missed connecting with one hack of the foot, Wood was on hand to finish from no more than two yards out.

Pearson for once had no answer but the keeper was quickly back to frustrating the home strikers in the second half, with Nisbett again the victim as the keeper blocked a low effort with his feet.

Just like Saturday, Sports improved after the break but created little and Wood was close to adding a second when his drive was tipped over by Pearson.

Still, it took the introduction of a substitute for Gornal to make it three and effectively seal it. Martin had barely been on the pitch two minutes when he collected a Kieron Williams centre and with no challenge forthcoming from the defenders, slammed a shot past Pearson.

Sports then belatedly began to look threatening. Neat interplay between Tibbetts and Josh Taylor saw the latter fire just over, while Tibbetts was also unlucky with an acrobatic effort and home keeper James Pemberton – a spectator for most of the evening - did well to tip a Jack Moore drive round the post.

But in the meantime Gornal had made it four thanks to Sangha, who capitalised on non-existent marking and a slip by Pearson to meet Richard Young’s cross and head home at the far post.

GORNAL: Pemberton, Young, Wood, Gater, Waterhouse, Green (Martin M 67), Wherton, Meese, Nisbett (Sangha 73) , Martin C (Morgan C), Weyman Subs not used: Richards, Morgan J.

Goals: Meese 2, Wood 39, Martin 69, Sangha 84.

SPORTS: Pearson, Fincher (Moore 78), Williams, Walters, Taylor James, Stevens, Sumner, Shaw, Maffe (Passey 67), Tibbetts, Taylor Josh Subs not used: Bache, Blakeley, Hearsey.