Laycock and Pennery quickly back in the goal groove as Moneyfields hit the ground running in Wessex League opener

Laycock was Moneyfields’ top scorer last term with 29 in all competitions, while Pennery - who only signed in early October - was second best with 18.

Both were on target in the opening half-hour last night as Moneys stormed into a 4-0 half-time lead at Hythe & Dibden.

Laycock’s header opened the scoring on 24 minutes and two minutes laterhe set up Pennery to double the lead.

Pennery and Franklyn combined for right-back Marco De Sousa to celebrate his step 5 debut for Moneys with a third goal.

And Franklyn - playing his first competitive game of 2023 after recovering from a long-standing groin problem - added a fourth just before the whistle.

There was no further scoring after the break, with Moneys going one better than last December’s 3-0 win at Hythe - a game in which Laycock scored twice.

De Sousa, a Portsmouth University mate of Moneys keeper Dylan Kramer, was one of three league debutants in the starting XI.

The other two were the vastly-experienced pair of Tom Jeffes and Steve Ramsey.

Boss Glenn Turnbull - on holiday in Spain - said: ‘That was the plan. With Jeffers, Rambo and Cal Laycock we’ve got experience in all areas, and Ryan’s a proven goalscorer at this level and above.’

De Sousa was chosen at right wing back - in a 3-5-2 formation - as Chad Cornwell had a hamstring problem.

Josh Hazell was at left-back with Jeffes, Tom Cain - also playing his first competitive game of 2023 after injury - and Harry Birmingham as a central defensive trio.

With Turnbull away, assistant boss Joe Noakes and coach Neil Tomlinson took the side.

Moneys have also brought in Portsmouth-based Phil Benfield, who had been at Totton & Eling, as another coach.

‘We needed an extra pair of hands,’ said Turnbull, who also misses this Friday’s FA Cup extra preliminary round tie against Westbury at Westleigh Park.