Former Paulsgrove stalwart Billy Butcher stars on his Hampshire Premier League debut for Locks Heath

Playing in central midfield, Butcher capped a man of the match display with a goal in Locks’ 6-1 romp at Liphook United.

Another new face - former Fawley attacking midfielder Jake Smith - netted twice as Dave Hazelgrove and Ben Buckland celebrated their first competitive match in charge in style.

Adam Clark, Ben Chambers and Conor Hilton were also on target as Locks enjoyed the second biggest win on day one of the 2022/23 Senior Division campaign - Stockbridge having thrashed Liss 6-0.

‘Billy approached us,’ revealed Hazelgrove. ‘He felt we were doing things the right way. He’s got ambitions of winning the league and felt we could help him achieve that.

‘He sees central defence as being his position, but he was man of the match playing in central midfield.’

Smith has dropped down a tier of the pyramid after making 32 appearances - scoring twice - for Wessex 1 side Fawley last season.

Playing in the No 10 role, he netted a brace against Liphook that were ‘next level’ according to Hazelgrove.

With Locks having lost two goalkeepers - Joe Hunt has moved to Clanfield and Owen Craig returned to US Portsmouth last week - Max Hoile was handed the gloves against Liphook.

Hoile has played outfield for a lot of his career, but was in goal for two late-season HPL games in 2021/22 - including a 2-1 win against Moneyfields that shattered the latter’s title hopes.

‘He’s got real potential,’ stated Hazelgrove, whose side travel to QK Southampton on Wednesday ahead of hosting Andover New Street Swifts at Gosport’s Bay House School on Saturday.

Instead of playing a host of away games in a row, as they have done in previous seasons due to cricket taking priority at their ground, Locks are staging three league matches on the artificial surface at Bay House.

‘I think we dropped 11 points in our first seven (away) games last season,’ Hazelgrove recalled. ‘We haven’t done it before, but we’re playing three of our first eight games at Bay House - to break up all the away games.’