NEWTOWNABBEY Sevens got life in Ballymena and Provincial Division One off to a perfect start thanks to a David Osborne hat-trick.

This tricky opening fixture at the Ballymoney Showgrounds was always going to be a real test for the Sevens who clinched the Division Two championship in the final game of last season.

In the opening stages the borough's Blues found it tough against a young and dynamic Ballymoney team. But it was the Sevens who made the breakthrough on 16 minutes when lone striker Ricky Currie bravely netted after a sweet left-sided cross from Osborne.

Ballymoney threatened with some strong counter attacking football but were unable to net past Sevens stopper Jonny Chambers who was in fine form.

Currie's solitary strike separated the two teams at the interval after a fiercely competitive first half display from both sides.

The Sevens started the brighter in the second period. Just five minutes in, Osborne latched on to a poor defensive clearance unleashing a fierce left foot drive which the Ballymoney keeper could only parry. The ball dropped kindly to Sevens skipper Graham Bennett who crossed for the advancing Osborne to net with his right foot from six yards.

With 15 minutes left on the clock a cute interchange between Paul Moffatt and sub Alistair Bennett led to a Ballymoney hand ball on the edge of the area. From the resulting free kick Osborne passed the ball into the bottom left corner for his second and the Sevens' third goal of the afternoon.

A good cross from Simon Lennox down the right flank allowed Osborne to complete his hat-trick with the simplest of finishes into the bottom right corner on 86 minutes.

Ballymoney grabbed a consolation goal with a fine strike from outside the box finding its way past Chambers in off the post into the top corner in injury time.

Newtownabbey Sevens FC (sponsored by Eastside Fuels): Chambers - Thompson, Dallas, Lennox, Lammey - Steele, Gowdy, Moffatt, Osborne, G. Bennett - Currie. Subs: A. Bennett, Newburn, Boyle. Unused: Smyth, Connor.