Alport 5 Holker Old Boys 1
 
A Ben Mills hat-trick on his debut for the Reds helped Alport to a comfortable 5-1 win over Holker Old Boys at Yockings Park. Luke Walley and Si Everall also weighed in with a goal apiece with Holker restricted to long range shots -one of them brought the away side level as the game got off to a blistering start.
 
There was less than a minute on the clock before Alport got their season up and running. Manager Luke Goddard hit a superb ball down into the right channel for Everall to chase and he fed Nick Marley who whipped in a superb cross. It was met by the head of Mills who powered a brilliant header into the corner of the net.
 
The lead barely lasted five minutes. Bradley Hubbold wasn’t closed down and he sent a vicious shot flying past Danny Read and in off the post. That wasn’t in the script but Alport weren’t unsettled by it, and on 11 minutes Luke Walley converted Everall’s cross having controlled the ball beautifully, before guiding it past 17 year old Jamie Molloy who had a fine debut in goal.  The keeper made a great save to deny Everall a third but the skipper wasn’t to be denied, and following a great turn in the box, he curled an exquisite shot high into the far corner for 3-1 with 20 minutes played.
 
In the second half, the visitors were within a coat of paint of halving the deficit on 51 minutes when captain Phil Coombe smashed a shot against the bar with Read beaten. Holker’s luck was deserting them because 60 seconds later Alport scored again. Mills grabbed his second with the aid of a deflection and soon Holker were a man down. Two really reckless challenges from Josh Tweddle saw him into the showers early doors, with the second one on Elliot Ledwards worthy of a straight red in itself and not the second yellow that was administered by the referee. One minute after the sending off, Mills cushioned a header past Molloy from a set play and with half an hour still to play, Alport’s goal spree was over.
 
Molloy made decent stops from Mike Blundell, Marley and young Walley, and sub Kieran Smith will have nightmares after he shot wide from inside the 6 yard box after great play along the by-line by Everall.
 
210 supporters – and not a single one from Holker – enjoyed this stroll in the sunshine. But although it’s very early days, you sense there is a lot more to come from this highly talented Whitchurch side.