FREE-SCORING Hartley Wintney sit atop the Combined Counties League Premier Division table after beating much-fancied Badshot Lea 7-4 last night.
The village side made the short trip to Badshot Lea on the back of a 5-0 win over Redhill on the opening day of the season, but it was the hosts who opened the scoring after 11 minutes.
Hartley drew level from the penalty spot on 25 minutes, Sam Argent converting from 12 yards after Steven Duff had been brought down.
Ross Cook then took over, putting the visitors ahead seconds later and scoring two more goals in the space of as many minutes just before half-time to send Hartley into the break 4-1 ahead.
Badshot Lea pulled a goal back just before the hour, but Cook's fourth of the game and Argent's second extended the lead to 6-2.
The hosts threatened an unlikely comeback by scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Hartley had the final word, Duff adding a seventh in injury-time.
Hartley, who have maximum points and a goal-difference of +8 after just two games, having found the net 12 times, top the table, but joint manager Dan Brownlie is not getting carried away.
"The table does not concern me at the moment," he said. "It's nice to be top and we have beaten two good teams, but it's early days and we are certainly not talking up our chances yet."
Hartley have a break from league action on Saturday, when they travel to Hellenic League side Chinnor for an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie.
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