HALSTEAD Town's poor start to the new Essex Senior League season continued with a 4-0 home defeat to Woodford Town at the Milbank Stadium, writes KEN GILLIARD.

The Humbugs couldn’t complain about the result and have a couple of weeks to reflect and regroup before their next match, an FA Vase game against Langford.

The opening exchanges were fairly even with the hosts' main threat coming from some long throws, one of which saw Matt Travell see an effort blocked for a corner.

However, the visitors were starting to threaten the home goal with an effort from just inside the box being flashed over and then they had a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the box, which they didn’t make the most of.

Play continued to switch from end to end with Jake Brown playing in Asa Cansdale for the hosts, but his effort was deflected for a corner whilst Woodford were denied By Robbie Bennett who got in to head clear when the home goal was in danger.

The Woods started to get a stranglehold on the game and Will Healy needed to be alert in the Halstead goal, tipping over a long-range effort.

The Humbugs were then fortunate to keep their goal intact as they somehow cleared when a goal looked certain.

Halstead almost caught the visitors on the break as Alfie Cleal long throw found Brown, whose centre was millimetres away from being touched home by Matt Travell.

However within minutes the visitors had taken the lead when David Gokou opened the scoring.

There followed a decisive period of the game where the Woods applied a lot of pressure as they saw a chance to put this game to bed.

They were denied by interceptions from Bennett and Healy but with just two minutes of the half remaining they finally added second.

Marcus Painter stabbed home after a sustained bit of pressure which included the hosts twice clearing off their line, as Halstead went in at the break trailing.

Woodford started the second period brightest, firing just wide when well placed and then a ball across the area just lacked that final touch.

However Halstead should have reduced the arrears with seven minutes of the second period gone but after a mix-up between Woods keeper and his defender Bennett could only steer his effort wide with the goal gaping.

The game was fairly even as Woodford were comfortably seeing it out and they put the game beyond doubt when Sam Owusu added a third, just before the hour mark.

And the visitors completed the scoring with seven minutes remaining when the recently introduced Stefan Balev got his name on the scoresheet, securing the Woods their best-ever start to the season.