Neathey felt Loxwood weren't at their best despite thrashing Eastbourne United in first league win

They secured an emphatic 5-1 home victory over Eastbourne United on Saturday for their first league win in ten attempts.

Three goals in 30 first-half minutes from Josh Courtney, Josh Neathey, and Michael Wood saw the Magpies off to a blistering start.

Harry Williams added the fourth after the break, before Tyler O’Callaghan pulled one back for the visitors.

Archie Goddard completed the rout six minutes before time to see Loxwood pick up their first three points of the season.

Neathey said: “It wasn’t our prettiest or best performance of the season but I can’t grumble. Three points is three points and it was very pleasing to get the win.

“We dominated the game throughout really. It wasn’t our best performance but we dominated them and thoroughly deserved it, if not more.”

The Magpies went ahead on 14 minutes as Michael Death, Wood, and Harry Bachelor combined to play in Courtney who fired home.

16-year-old Gareth Neathey doubled the score two minutes later and picked up his first senior goal. The young forward found himself one-on-one with the ‘keeper and coolly slotted home off the post.

The Magpies went three up on 28 minutes as Wood cut inside before firing home, with the help of a deflection.

Loxwood only needed two minutes after the break to make it four. Lewis Westlake’s corner found Eddie French and the defender’s header was palmed away by the ‘keeper for Williams to bundle home.

O’Callaghan reduced the scoreline on 49 minutes after poor play at the back from the Magpies but another 16-year-old, this time Goddard, sealed a convincing win for Loxwood on 84 minutes.

With both Neathey and Goddard bagging their first senior goals for the club, Neathey praised his young charges for showing they were more than capable of playing in the Premier Division.

He added: “We’ve said it from day one, and me coming from the under-18s last season, we know what these players are about.

“I know they are more than capable of stepping up eventually on a full time basis one day, maybe not straight away, but at the moment they can certainly do a job now and again for us and they proved that on Saturday.”

Loxwood travel to Crawley Down Gatwick on Saturday in the first round of the Sussex Senior Cup.

Neathey added: “They will be a good side. I used to play for them myself a few year ago so I know they will be a well organised side and they’ll be a tough side to play against.

“We’ll go there with the upmost respect for them as we know it’s going to be a tough game.”

Loxwood: Matthews, Courtney, Warren, French, Hooper-Ridsdale, Bachelor, Williams, Death, Westlake, Wood, Neathey. Subs: Frankland, Goddard, Joels.