FOOTBALL: Taunton Town beat Staines Town in Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division South

TAUNTON Town won emphatically at home to Staines Town on their Southern League Premier Division bow, with two goals in each half at the Viridor Stadium.

Andrew Neal, Ollie Chamberlain, Matt Buse and Craig Veal scored for the Peacocks - who made it 35 league games without defeat with this result.

With Nuno Felix only fit enough for the bench, the hosts reverted to a 4-3-3, with Buse in midfield, behind the front three of Neal, Dan Sullivan and Matt Wright.

Taunton began brightly, creating half-chances - but a poor final ball, or solid Staines defending, kept them at bay.

As for the visitors, they looked composed in possession, new manager Cristian Colas keen for them to play at the back, but they lacked penetration and so home goalkeeper Lloyd Irish was not unduly troubled.

So it was that the Peacocks took the lead on 26 minutes, Neal continuing his excellent pre-season form (nine goals in six games) with the opener.

A rapid break down the right led to Sullivan being fouled, but referee Stuart Kane played advantage, and Neal showed good composure to finish well from the angle.

Pierce Mitchell saw a shot deflect off Sullivan for Louis Dixon to save, butt it was 2-0 on 39 minutes, after another incisive counter-attack.

The away side took a quick free-kick, but the ball was intercepted on halfway, Ryan Brett found Sullivan, and he slid a fine through ball for Chamberlain to run onto - the midfielder finishing with confidence past Dixon.

More chances came and went, Neal seeing a shot blocked by Dixon and Wright heading over, but the hosts were well worth a two-goal lead at half time.

And it was 3-0 just five minutes into the second half, as Sullivan got away down the right, his cross-shot rebounded off the far post, and Buse followed in to score into an open goal.

Staines introduced two substitutes and enjoyed their best spell in the game, but Billy Montacute's effort was comfortable for Irish, and the home side were always a threat on the break.

Taunton were able to give captain Wright and midfield maestro a rest with 20 minutes left, while Keith Emmerson headed narrowly wide from a Shane White corner.

The game rather petered out after that, though substitute Veal had a header ruled out for offside and Sullivan saw a stinging shot tipped over by Dixon.

There was time for a fourth goal, though, in what was the final action of the game, as a corner ran through for Chamberlain and Neal to combine, and Josh Nelmes' cross eventually fell for Veal to control and lash home.

This was a perfect start to the new league season for the Peacocks, and they will look to take this momentum into Tuesday's match away to Weymouth.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Pierce Mitchell (Nuno Felix 85), Shane White, Ben Adelsbury, Keith Emmerson, Matt Buse, Ollie Chamberlain, Ryan Brett (Josh Nelmes 71), Mattt Wright (c) (Craig Veal 71), Dan Sullivan, Andrew Neal.
Substitutes not used: Michael Meaker, Tom Stone.
Attendance: 571