Waltham Forest kicked off their Ryman League North Division One campaign with back-to-back defeats against VCD Athletic and Romford.

On Saturday, Forest returned to Walthamstow after a five-year exile in Ilford, but the joy was short-lived as the newly-promoted side ran out 5-0 winners.

Sherwin Stanley helped himself to a hat-trick, volleying home the first after 17 minutes before adding a second seven minutes later.

The third came on the hour after Forest keeper Matt Hasler’s poor clearance fell to the forward.

James Duckworth and Vences Bola rounded off the rout.

Tuesday saw Forest travel to Romford, but another poor defensive display saw the hosts comfortable 4-0 winners.

Abs Seymour put Romford ahead after 25 minutes with the lead doubled by Kurt Smith five minutes later.

On the stroke of half-time Paul Clayton killed off the contest before Ryan Imbert – who had already had one disallowed earlier on – snatched a fourth.

Redbridge endured an equally disappointing start to their season, losing at newly-promoted Erith & Belvedere on Saturday before being beaten by a last-gasp Aveley winner on Tuesday night.

Erith & Belvedere – playing their first-ever Ryman League North fixture – overcame a third-minute strike from Daniel Charge to win 3-1.

Mavin Alebiousu equalised before Mo Conteh and Richard Morgan secured the Dere’s maiden victory at this level.

The Aveley defeat was even more galling, with Ross Wall’s 92nd-minute strike cancelling out Leslie Thompson’s goal, which had looked like securing a point for Redbridge after Anthony Stephenson had the visitors ahead with 17 minutes remaining.

Waltham Abbey suffered double disappointment too, losing 3-0 against another of the division’s new boys Burnham Ramblers on Saturday, before going down 5-2 at Heybridge Swifts three days later.

Burnham’s Neil Richmond opened the scoring at the weekend before Luca Frankis and Bradley Nobbs secured a routine win.

A three-goal second-half blitz did for Abbey on Tuesday night, with Luke Callander, Russell Malton and Reece Morgan scoring after Tom Bruno had equalised Callander’s opener for Swifts.

Joe Rearman pulled the score back to 4-2 for Abbey before Michael Cheek restored Heybridge’s three-goal advantage.