WHITCHURCH United have made an excellent start to their Wessex League Premier Division campaign, taking seven points from their opening three games.

After coming from to beat Fareham Town in their first game, the Jam Boys beat visiting Bemberton Heath Harlequins 3-1 on Wednesday night before drawing 3-3 with Blackfield and Langley on Saturday.

Three goals in the space of 10 first-half minutes put the hosts in control against Bemberton Heath. Tom Lockyer put Whitchurch ahead, Josh Green doubled the lead from the penalty spot and Jack Garner made it 3-0 just after the half-hour mark, while Bemberton got on the scoresheet with a late consolation strike.

Highly-fancied Blackfield and Langley visited Longmeadow on Saturday, but Whitchurch almost caused an upset. The visitors took the lead twice during the first half, but Danny Phillips levelled the scores on both occasions and Ryan Lambert put the Jam Boys ahead on the hour, only for Blackfield to claim a point with a late penalty.

The results leave Whitchurch second in the table going into tomorrow night’s trip to Totton and Eling – and new manager Carl Bennett is a happy man.

“I could not ask for a better start,” he said. “If you had offered me seven points from the first three games at the start of the season, I would have snapped your hand off, and the atmosphere in the dressing room is fantastic.”