Saltdean conjured up a free-kick double to ease opening night nerves at Hill Park last night to seacure a 3-1 win in division one of the Rich City League.

Midfielders Kevin Townsend and Terry Cooper both scored direct from setpieces after Ringmer had caused the hosts a few problems in a goal-less first half.

Sean Grice capped an explosive third quarter of the match with the 64th-minute clincher before tricky Jason Reid gave Ringmer a late, but fully deserved, consolation.

Wayne Taylor, replacing the suspended Alvin Atkins, was at fault for Townsend's 53rd-minute opener, which was firmly struck but directed pretty close to the debut-making goalkeeper.

Taylor was left scrambling across his line in vain five minutes later as Cooper's quickly-taken effort caught everyone unawares.

Tigers settled and played some decent football after that but boss Glenn Burvill admitted: "The goals calmed everyone down.

"Ringmer came here and worked hard and they stopped us playing in the first half.

"But we got the ball down after half time and I thought they ran out of puff when we went ahead.

"We were on free-kicks in training but all I tell them when they are in a central position is to get the ball on target and that's what they did tonight."

Burvill was also delighted to see his front two link effectively for Grice's goal, which saw him burst on to a lay-off from sidekick Warren Bagnall.

Tigers were without Saturday's hat-trick man Paul Boxall with a knee injury, but the work of the new strike pairing meant he was not too badly missed.

Townsend too was a constant threat coming from midfield and twice went close to doubling his tally.

Both these clubs have made important changes behind the scenes this season with Internet tycoon Greg Hadfield taking over as Tigers chairman and Ringmer appointing former Saltdean midfielder Glen Geard as manager.

Hadfield adopted a hands on approach to his home debut, selling programmes at the gate before kick-off, while Geard dished out constant encouragement to his youngsters from the dugout.

He has a couple of gems there in wide man Wes Lopez and former Liverpool youngster Reid, whose dreams of making it in the big time were ruined by injury.

Reid's elusive running on the few occasions he got the ball certainly caught the eye and there was a touch of class in the way he stepped past Stewart Holmes' tackle before threading his injury time strike inside Jamie Bryant's far post.

Geard revealed: "We haven't seen the best of him yet. He's only just getting used to this kind of football.

"I though we had the better of the chances in the first half tonight but then we had 10 minutes of madness and paid for it.

"But we've only been together six weeks and we knew Saltdean were a good side."

Geard looks likely to guide Ringmer to a much improved League position, certainly better than last season's relegation struggle.

Burvill's sights are aimed much higher up the League table, which explains why his men will be so relieved to have got the first week out of the way without mishap.

Saltdean: Bryant, Corlett, Jones, Essam, Flower, Holmes, Cooper (sub Hamilton 75), Johnson (sub Swetman 64), Bagnall (sub Bean 72), Grice, Townsend.

Yellow Card: Grice.

Ringmer: Taylor, Lopez, Curtis, Holden, Morris, Purser, Martin, Spencer Mears, Mason (sub Brady 75), Reid, Gomez (sub Djelassi 65). Unused sub: Sonny Mears.

Yellow Card: Purser, Gomez, Morris, Mears, Reid.

Referee: C. Brook Man-of-the-match: Townsend (Saltdean)