A small ditch protected the English front, and behind it the bowmen were drawn up "in the form of a harrow" with small bombards between them "which with fire threw little iron balls to frighten the horses," the first instance known of the use of artillery in field-warfare.
The halt of the English army took Philip by surprise, and he attempted for a time to check the advance of his army.

But the attempt was fruitless and the disorderly host rolled on to the English front.

The sight of his enemies indeed stirred Philip's own blood to fury, "for he hated them." The fight began at vespers.

The Genoese cross-bowmen were ordered to open the attack, but the men were weary with their march, a sudden storm wetted and rendered useless their bowstrings, and the loud shouts with which they leapt forward to the encounter were met with dogged silence in the English ranks.

Their first arrow-flight however brought a terrible reply.