Holcombe got their Premier Division campaign off to a flyer at home to Reading.

Barry Middleton’s side won 4-0 and it could have been more had it not been for Reading’s busy goalkeeper Chris Wyver.

Captain Nick Bandurak scored the opener after just five minutes, Phil Roper scored twice and there was also a goal for Tim Guise-Brown.

It was a fine start for the men’s team infront of a packed-out terrace at Holcombe Park on Saturday night.

Last season’s runners-up were in control for most of the match and although Great Britain goalie Ollie Payne was tested early on, it was a close as Reading got to scoring in the one-sided encounter.

Bandurak gave Holcombe a fifth-minute lead, superbly taking down an aerial ball in the circle before firing powerfully past Wyver from close range.

Wyver denied Bandurak twice more in the opening 10 minutes, once from open play and one from a penalty corner.

Bandurak sent a shot narrowly wide at the start of the second quarter while GB Elite Development Programme pair Tom Russell and Sam Taylor both also went close, the latter seeing an audacious lob tipped over the crossbar.

Player-head coach Middleton squandered a chance just before the half-time break.

Holcombe’s quick ball movement and use of aerials was proving too much for the Reading backline.

The likes of Brad Read, Guise-Brown and Taylor also stepped forward brilliantly from defence to create overloads and drive forward themselves.

A second goal came midway through the third quarter. A rebound from Bandurak’s effort fell to GB team-mate Roper, who calmly slotted home a reverse effort into an empty goal.

Just four minutes later, it was almost three as Guise-Brown drag-flicked onto the post, with Bandurak also having a penalty corner effort saved.

With 50 minutes on the clock, Guise-Brown added a third to kill any Reading hopes of an unlikely comeback, his drag-flick taking a deflection on the way through to beat Wyver.

Roper’s second came in the final period of play, a brilliant deflection from close range to beat Wyver.

More chances came and went as Jake Owen forced Wyver into action again, debutant Alex Pendle went agonisingly wide after brilliantly bringing down another aerial ball, while Roper’s late reverse flew over as he chased a hat-trick goal.