ADAM Sleep and Andy Boxall scored twice as Camelford registered their biggest ever opening day win by thrashing Sticker 7-1 at Trefrew Park.

The summer has been a difficult one for the visitors, who have lost key players, but have brought in ex Camels Bobby Hopkinson and Tyler Cheshire.

Camelford managed to field a strong side in most of their friendlies, picking up a strong run of results and momentum they can build on, leaving manager Reg Hambly and his assistant Phil Brown excited and optimistic for the season ahead.

Sticker started the game well, looking sharp with good spells of possession. But it was the Camels who took the early initiative after 15 minutes as goalkeeper Jamie Blatchford blatantly pushed the incoming Josh Insley over from an Adam Sleep throw-in, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

This season’s new penalty taker Ed Harrison stepped up and placed his spot-kick to Blatchford’s left to put the home side 1-0 up.

Ryan Pooley was next to attack, and after collecting the ball from midfield, he started to drive at the defence before the playing in Andy Boxall, whose effort was tipped over superbly by Blatchford to atone for his previous error.

Sleep, who had an impressive pre-season netting seven goals in five games as a makeshift striker, again led the line and was played through by Pooley and out-muscled player/manager Andy Avery before blasting the ball through Blatchford’s hands to make it 2-0.

The Camels were now flying and the third and arguably the best goal of the game came from Sleep, who took on Avery again and cut in onto his left-foot, before unleashing a magnificent strike from the edge of the box into the top corner to give the Camels breathing space with less than half an hour on the clock.

However, a lapse in concentration saw Sticker grab a crucial goal a few minutes later as a long throw from Rory Jarvis saw Frankie McAvoy tap home from close range.

Sticker took this momentum into the next five minutes, pushing the Camels and testing their nerve.

But the momentum was not taken advantage of, and when a bouncing ball across from Boxall on the break reached Pooley, there was only one thing on his mind as he volleyed the ball into the top corner via the post from 20 yards to make it 4-1.

The fifth, which arrived with just a couple minutes to go until the break, was a tap-in from Boxall when man-of-the-match Sleep cut the ball back after a fine period of possession.

The second-half was quieter as Sticker tightened up at the back and brought on fresh legs.

The creative Hopkinson was one of those substitutes, and his free-kick went just wide of the post, although Luke Gwillam in the home net had it covered.

Boxall made it six with 20 minutes remaining when yet again he found himself in the right place at the right time from a well-timed cross from substitute Joe Adkins.

The seventh and final goal of the evening came from an Insley throughball which saw Adkins beat Blatchford for pace as he rushed out of goal and got caught in no mans land, before Adkins turned and smartly lobbed the ball over the keeper and skipper Mickey Rowels-Jane on the line to give the Camels their biggest ever opening day win and send the majority of the 71-strong crowd home happy.

The Camels were at home again on Tuesday night as they welcomed Godolphin Atlantic to Trefrew Park.

See next week’s Post to find out whether they could make it back-to-back wins.