Colney Heath got their defence of the Herts Charity Shield off to a perfect start – as they roared to a 4-1 win away to Oxhey Jets.

The Magpies were irresistible in the first half and raced into a 4-0 lead.

And although the hosts got the only goal of the second half, they were never going to catch the soar-away Colney side.

Joe Newton and Spencer Clarke-Mardel both hit the net twice in that opening 45 minutes.

Newton got things up and running on 14 minutes as he forced the ball over the line from a few yards out after good work from Clarke- Mardel and Harvey Scott.

The next two both came from Clarke-Mardel, with the first of them an absolute scorcher on 32 minutes.

He cut out a defensive pass before racing into the area and unleashed a cracking shot right across the goal into the far corner beyond Oxhey goalkeeper Matt Evans.

He repeated the trick in the last five minutes of the half to make it 3-0, this time receiving the ball after more good work from Scott and Jack Woods.

And the fourth goal, scored just a few minutes later, came from another intercepted pass.

This time it was Danny Fitzgerald who cut out the cross-field ball and he quickly played it out wide to Newton cut inside and drilled it low past Evans.

They had other chances in the first period. Scott fired an effort just over before hitting the foot of the post after a cross from Woods.

The pressure continued after the break too as Evans denied Clarke-Mardel a hat-trick and two fantastic crosses just evaded a touch from an black and white shirt.

It was a surprise therefore when Oxhey pulled a goal back.

It came from the penalty spot on 63 minutes when Sam Doolan brought down Olawale Salami and Nick Kerley drove it low past Charlie May.

It gave the Jets a bit of a lift but May was left untroubled and the final chances fell to the visitors.

Scott had a shot saved and Josh Humbert was also denied after getting on the end of a Charlie Hunter free-kick.

It didn’t matter and Colney Heath will go to Tring Athletic in round two.

Their next game is their first in this season’s SSML Premier Division at home to Harpenden Town on Tuesday.