‘The real test starts Tuesday’ said Chairman Darren Croft before this one-sided affair that saw only token resistance from a very modest home side. Tuesday sees the Blues travel to St Neots, where the Huntingdonshire side will provide much sterner opposition than the one faced today at Offley.

A 7-0 score line was not flattering, and it enabled manager Grant Carney to give an airing to the likes of Nick Nolan, and former luminaries Darren Edwards and Junior George.

Last week at Milton Keynes, Padbury had demonstrated that the new Blues have much work to do and it began today.

The confirmation that Dunstable Town will not be fielding a reserve or youth team for the forthcoming season means that those signed must be seen and given a chance to stake a claim in the side.

I do not intend to go into the reasons here on the absence of teams but it is, I am assured a temporary and necessary aberration and will be remedied for next season.

Given that, there were a more than sufficient number of players in the squad today and it marked the return of the combative Darrell Elliott, who scored four first half goals and could have had more. He will not face such a generous or ineffective defence in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division.

On a compact pitch and in pleasant sunshine Dunstable dominated from the start and goalkeeper Gary Duncan was largely a spectator.
What was he had to do was nominal and routine.

Elliott’s opening goal was after ten minutes and, although precisely taken he was virtually unchallenged. He then capitalised on a defensive error four minutes later to secure his second.
Supporting him ably was Lee Burgoyne who played in a much more forward role and supplied Elliott with a measured cross for the striker’s fourth goal, which was hooked in vehemently.

Elliott’s hat-trick came after forty minutes after an initial shot had hit the post and the rebound fell invitingly. The fourth goal owed its execution to Burgoyne’s floated cross, but Elliott unaccountably squandered another chance. With the defence again not mounting a real challenge, Elliott wanted to walk the ball in only to see the home keeper simply lift it off his foot.

Changes were made after the interval with Junior George and Darren Edwards coming on. It was good to see defender Nicholas Nolan return to active duty after his injury that kept him out for the entire season.

Luke Lincoln, who has attracted positive comment, was the next to score after fifty-eight minutes. He had been unsuccessful in two earlier attempts on goal, but scored his goal with emphasis.

The sixth goal emanated from another poor defensive error, and a signal failure to clear the lines by Offley allowed Rory Smith to make it 6-0.

The last goal was left until the last minute when Darren Edwards gave an inkling of his former days when after a net step-over he blasted in from close range.

It would perhaps have been of more use to have had the Blues face as team of equal standing, but the game at St Neots will provide a full challenge. At present it seemed to me that the current squad will be fully pressed in the Spartan League and has still some way to go before the constituent parts run smoothly.

Pre-season friendly games are of principal interest to the managers who will sift through their squads to find the best balance.

Offley had little complaint about the result but will no doubt inquire into some distinct defensive shortcomings that allowed strikers an unaccustomed luxury of time to think and place.

I am sure that, having played recently for champions Aylesbury, Grant Carney will be aware of the good standards of play and fitness in the Premier League. Tuesday will reveal much more than today, as will the forthcoming friendly meetings with Barton Rovers and Crawley Green.