SALFORD CITY 2, STEVENAGE BOROUGH 0
The dream continued as Salford City made a winning start in the English Football League.
Two goals from striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe helped City reinforce their label as one of the favourites for promotion from Sky Bet League Two.
It was a great day in the history of the club that had won four promotions in five seasons since being bought in 2014 by Class of 92 players Gary and Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
Indeed, City were playing in the North West Counties League, the bottom rung of the football pyramid until 2008.
It has been a remarkable rise and one which has the club go from having gates of little more than 50 fans to selling 1,900 season tickets.
And despite the rise, the club has not lost its identity from those humble roots. There is nowhere in the 92 professional clubs where you can watch football so cheaply – standing for £10.
The match was televised live by Sky Sports and it proved a fabulous spectacle as 3,416 packed into the Peninsula Stadium.
Adam Rooney, the marquee signing from Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen in the summer of 2018, was denied City’s first goal in the EFL when he shot struck the crossbar.
The breakthrough came just short of the half hour when City broke swiftly and overlapping wing back Scott Wiseman crossed for Diseruvwe to fire home from six yards.
The former Sheffield Wednesday striker struck again soon after the restart, slotting home following a goalmouth scramble following a free kick.
Dieseruvwe had other chances to complete a hat-trick as City dominated and were full value for their win.
Stevanage rarely threatened and home goalkeeper Chris Neal’s only serious save of the game came with 15 minutes left.