Morgan Williams hammered a hat-trick as North Leigh started their Southern League Division 1 South & West campaign with a 6-2 win against Mangotsfield United at Eynsham Park on Saturday.

The scoreline flattered the home side, but defensive lapses by Mangotsfield and the dismissal of their captain Neil Arndale midway through the second half contributed to their downfall.

With new signings, keeper Matt Bulman, midfielder Callum McNish and the re-signed Matt Woodley, in the starting line-up, Mark Gee’s side took the lead after eight minutes.

Aaron Woodley teed up his brother Matt, whose pinpoint cross found Williams who scored from close range past Josh Dempsey in the visitors’ goal.

The hosts made it 2-0 when Kieran Sanders’s cross was parried by Dempsey only for the ball to hit Mangotsfield centre back Shaun Lamb bef-ore rolling over the line for an own goal.

The visitors pulled a goal back after 38 minutes when a clearance by home defender Andy Gunn was charged down and the ball ran loose to Steve Davies, who tucked it away into the far corner.

Two minutes later, however, Sanders restored North Leigh’s two-goal lead through a penalty after the luckless Lamb was adjudged to have handled a goalbound shot.

After the break, the Millers made it 4-1 when Gunn hoofed the ball upfield.

But Mangotsfield defender Tom Parrinello miscontrolled the clearance, allowing Williams to take full advantage and smash the ball beyond Dempsey.

Despite this setback Mangotsfield kept pushing forward.

And they were rewarded when striker Lewis Powell stabbed the ball in from close range on 55 minutes.

The game was settled on 63 minutes when Elliott Osborne-Ricketts scored from another penalty after Arndale tugged Williams back and was dismissed.

With both teams introducing substitutes, Williams completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute as he intercepted a back header from visiting defender Omar Lindsay, before taking the ball around the keeper and scoring from an acute angle.

On Saturday, the Millers face a long trip to Taunton Town.

North Leigh: Bulman, Else, M Woodley, McNish (Bowles 64), Gunn, Westlake, Sanders, Hole, Williams, A Woodley (Ingram 74), Osborne-Ricketts. Subs not used: Eadle, Caton.

Attendance: 82.