PEWSEY Vale manager Alistair Tuttle says his side’s 6-0 win over New College was bittersweet given the calibre of their opponent.

Harrison Lowe bagged a hat-trick, while James Blake, Mark Jones and Lee Smith notched solitary efforts but despite the comfortable win, which has taken the Hellenic League newcomers up to second in the table, the Vale boss says he didn’t enjoy beating the New College youngsters.

“With the set-up they have at New College, you know you are always going to be playing against up and coming youth players,” he said.

“So you go there with the expectation to win, but they do such a good job there for all those young footballers who will come through to the Wiltshire circuit.

“I’ve done a lot of youth football, I have managed teams aged 6-18 and even then I never got any pleasure of stuffing teams of kids.

“It’s just not in my ethos really. Unfortunately they are in our league and we do have to play them, you can only play what’s in front of you.

“It was only 1-0 at half-time, our lads were struggling with the long grass and the sticky pitch at Swindon Supermarine.”

Smith made a scoring return to the fold, after being ruled out with a broken jaw on the opening day of the season.

“In the second half we got our wide attacking midfielders involved a bit more and we didn’t look back after that to be honest,” added Tuttle.

“It’s great to have Lee Smith back. He fractured his jaw in the first game of the season and he is a prolific scorer,'' added Tuttle.

“Our keeper was the busiest keeper so it just goes to show that we didn’t have it all our own way.

“We know we have a good squad and we know it has been great work over the summer, so it is really good.

“I’m really looking forward to the FA Vase at the weekend against Chippenham park, I think they will be a test.”

Royal Wootton Bassett manager Rich Hunter is still awaiting a first win of the season in the Premier Division, after his side were beaten 4-0 away to Flackwell Heath.