BEMERTON Heath Harlequins returned to the Wessex Premier League with a bang, thumping Blackfield & Langley 7-1 to sit top of the division after the opening round of fixtures.

Bemmy’s first game back in the Wessex League’s top-flight got off to a rocky start when Clayd Roach squeezed a 14th minute penalty past Patrick Creese to give Blackfield an early lead.

Another penalty restored parity just eight minutes later, with Greg Peel opening his account for the season.

Shortly before the break, Peel added another, getting on the end of a Danny Young cross to volley home his second.

Harlequins continued to build their lead in the second half, with Reece Rusher finishing off a mazy run five minutes after the restart to make it 3-1.

With the floodgates now open, Bemmy added a fourth when Nathan Connolly headed home a Peel cross, before the striker converted his second penalty to claim an opening day hat-trick.

In the closing stages Layton Tulk grabbed a brace of his own, confirming the dominant scoreline.

Elsewhere Laverstock & Ford shared a point with Hythe & Dibden in their first game since promotion via the play-offs last term.

Archie Lovegrove and Lewis Wakeford had given the Bulldogs a first-half 2-0 lead, before the hosts battled back with a goal in either half to secure the only draw in the division.