WARREN Bentley plundered a staggering five first-half goals as Winchester City announced their arrival in the Southern One South & West with a 7-2 slaying of Bridgwater Town this afternoon.

Winchester included six summer signings in their starting line-up, but it was a tried and trusted combination that led to them taking the lead less than four minutes into their Southern League return.

With the sun beating down at the Denplan City Ground, Bentley was played in on the right of the area by Geoff Dunn.

The lethal marksman appeared to get the ball stuck under his feet but, with no one for company, he quickly balanced himself and flashed a shot past stunned keeper Jake Viney at his near post.

City were all over the visitors in the opening stages and, with ten minutes gone, last season’s Wessex League top gun Bentley struck again.

With Bridgwater appealing in vain for offside, Viney sprinted out of his area to close down Zach Glasspool as he raced onto Dan Cann’s forward pass.

But the ’keeper succeeded only in diverting the ball straight into the path of Bentley who cleverly steered a measured shot into the unguarded net from 25 yards.

The visitors’ defence were being pulled here, there and everywhere by City’s pace and movement and, after Viney had denied Dunn with his legs, Bentley fired the follow-up over.

Winchester came desperately close to adding a third goal on 20 minutes when full-back Adam Tomasso made progress down the right and sent in an inviting cross which Dan Cann headed against the underside of the crossbar.

Bridgwater took 24 minutes to launch their first serious threat when City’s classy left-back Jake Newton – formerly of Havant & Waterlooville – was penalised for fouling Ross McNab and, with only two in the City wall, Connor Sullivan’s delivery to the back post was very nearly bundled in.

But just when the visitors seemed to be settling, Winchester battered down their defences once again as Bentley completed a sharp 27-minute hat-trick.

Bridgwater almost found their own goal amid the panic to clear Cann’s cross from the left and the ball came out for the former Alresford Town sharpshooter to make it 3-0.

Four minutes later City were celebrating again as goal machine Bentley grabbed his fourth from close-range after Cann – a summer signing from Blackfield & Langley – had again delivered into the danger zone.

With the home side taking a bit of a breather on a hot, humid afternoon, Bridgwater belatedly came into the game with McNab forcing a decent save out of new City ’keeper Samuel Somerville before sending another effort just wide.

But, remarkably, the next name on the scoresheet was that man Bentley who completed his incredible five-goal haul in the 42 minutes with a clinically taken penalty after Newton had been barged over in the box.

The slightly built marksman could have had two more before the half-time whistle, but it was Bridgwater’s Joe Bushin who had the final say of the half after City had failed to deal with a corner.

With less than five minutes of the second half gone, City made it 6-1 and, by way of a change, they got a different name on the scoresheet.

Towering midfielder George Short surged through the middle from deep and picked out the run of Bentley. Unselfishly the five-star striker this time slipped the ball to his strike partner Glasspool who fired in from an acute angle for 6-1.

With the points seemingly in the bag, City withdrew ex-Totton defender Rob Flooks, who had been carrying a slight knee injury, and welcomed in substitute Luke Benali – son of Saints legend Franny – for his league debut.

The interruption appeared to distract City who instantly fell asleep at the back - an own goal from skipper Jamie Thoroughgood, under pressure from Reeko Best, eating into their lead.

Bushin stabbed a shot wide as a further wake-up call to City, who then cooked up a decent chance of their own.

Jamie Barron’s persistence won them possession and, following quick passes by Dunn and Glasspool, Cann’s angled shot was blocked out by the ’keeper.

On 75 minutes, Benali fed Dunn down the right and his low cross brushed Bentley’s outstretched boot on its way across.

Then, with three minutres remaining Benali – being watched by his dad – collected Short’s pass down the right and raced on before crossing for 16-year-old substitute Harrison Fay to slot home his first senior goal from close range.

Winchester City: Samuel Somerville, Adam Tomasso, Jake Newton, George Short, Jamie Thoroughgood, Rob Flooks (Luke Benali, 55), Geoff Dunn, Jamie Barron (Liam Gilbert, 67), Zach Glasspool (Harrison Fay, 79), Warren Bentley, Dan Cann. Subs (not used): Brendan Norris, Rian Jima-Otero.

Attendance: 202.