IT proved to be third time lucky for league new kids on the block Accrington Boys Soccer Academy as they tasted victory for the first time.

The league newcomers suffered two heavy defeats in their opening two games in the Accrington and District Boys League but they got it right third time around with an impressive 4-1 win over Blackburn Eagles Blue.

Manager Gary Smith knows there will be more big defeats to come this season but he was pleased that is side got the chance to sample that winning feeling sooner rather than later.

“The lads were buzzing afterwards,” said Smith of his team made of players from other clubs and beginners. “We are a new team so we know there will be some tough games this season.

“We have already experienced that in our first two games where we suffered big losses. But we kept going and produced a fine performance to get that first win.”

Accrington could have been forgiven for going in to the game low on confidence having lost 12-0 to Great Harwood Rovers and 14-3 to Wilpshire Wanderers - two sides firmly established in the league.

But that was far from the case thanks mainly to some kind words from the manager and his coaching team.

“When you lose like that it is important to keep the lads heads up and that is exactly what they did. So we are delighted in the way they have responded and get that first win which means so much to them.”

Accrington led 1-0 at the break thanks to a Ben Hockett goal before taking control in he second half, Josh Smith scoring twice with Connor Gordon also on target.

The win sees Accrington Boys climb to the heady heights of fourth place although, with only three games played, there is still a long way to go.

The team is the first boys side to play under the established Accrington Girls and Ladies Football Club umbrella and Smith is delighted to be a part of the set-up.

“Quite often you get a boys club who form a girls team so it it nice for it to be the other way around for a chnage,” he said. “We’re really enjoying being a part of the set-up.”

Elsewhere in the division, Great Harwood Rovers and Padiham Saints Juniors moved in to joint top place.

Rovers won a nine goal thriller against Huncoat United Juniors, winning 5-4 to make it two wins out of three while Padiham Saints Juniors won 3-1 at Langho to maintain their perfect start to the campaign.