Hay St Mary's endured a difficult evening as Goytre outlined why they are among the favourites for promotion in Floodlighting and Electrical Ardal South East following a 7-1 home win over the newly-promoted Saints.

The Monmouthshire outfit opened the scoring in the 10th minute when summer signing Josh Graham latched on to a well-timed through ball and found the back of the net despite keeper Tom Lewis nearly keeping the effort out.

The Saints conceded again within two minutes of the restart, after Goytre broke down the left flank and Marcus Jones' low cross was converted by Graham arriving at the far post.

The Monmouthshire club netted a third goal quickly when Jones rifled the ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the penalty area after being picked out by Graham.

The former Barry Town United player had an opportunity to complete his treble in the 20th minute but Lewis denied Graham when he was played through on goal before Jones headed over at the far post three minutes later from an inviting cross on the right.

Goytre had to wait until the 37th minute to increase their lead when Mike Murphy drove towards the byline and his cutback was converted by Chris Ham, Goytre's leading scorer last season, from close range. Ham looked to increase his tally four minutes later, when he tested Lewis' palms from the edge of the penalty area, following some good work by Jordan Needs on the right flank. Owen Bancroft headed over the crossbar from Abdul Mohsin's 45th minute cross from the left before Graham's header clipped the outside of an upright from a stoppage time corner.

Hay St Mary's manager Gareth Jenkins always knew it was going to be a particularly tough evening for his team, given the experience in the opposition squad, notwithstanding the Breconshire club having an extensive list of players unavailable for this fixture.

Matters became even more difficult 10 minutes after the interval when Murphy went on a driving run down the right flank and Graham was on hand at the far post to complete his hat-trick.

Despite trailing 5-0, the Saints went on to show signs of improvement during the remainder of the match, in terms of closing down and challenging their opponents. Substitute Isaac Wigley added his name to the scoresheet in the 61st minute when he cut in off the left flank before drilling home a low shot into the far corner of Lewis' goal.

Matty Tong provided a rare sight of goal for the visitors two minutes later when he dragged his low 25-yard effort wide of the target. Murphy was played through on goal 12 minutes later but was denied by Lewis whose efforts helped prevent the Breconshire club endure a heavier defeat. 

Goytre were reduced to 10 players in the 74th minute when Chris Hajgato received his second yellow card in the space of eight minutes from referee Nigel Baldwin. 

The Saints netted what was a consolation goal when captain Jack Biggs converted from the spot five minutes later after Callum Maddy was adjudged to have been fouled in the penalty area.

Samuel Jacobsen was played in on goal in the 86th minute but was denied by Lewis before Liam Macanally saw his header saved from an 88th minute corner. But it was the hosts who completed the scoring seconds later, after breaking quickly from defending that set-piece, when Ham netted his second of the evening after being played through on goal by Murphy.