The Red Dragons started life in the non-league ranks with a resounding 5-0 victory over title favourites Stevenage Borough at the Racecourse Ground.

Five different players got their names on the scoresheet and another bonus was a crowd of almost 5,000 which included less than 200 away fans.

Not surprisingly Brian Little was pleased with the outcome: "The last thirty minutes of the game were very enjoyable.

"We went in at half-time 1-0 up and our dressing room couldn't settle down because we were on edge.

"Now that tells me as a manager, having been around a bit, that the opposition weren't doing too bad.

"Ultimately the result might have flattered us a bit, although in the last half an hour we got well on top.

"I think that they were a decent side and I don't think that they will lose too many games 5-0.

"It was one of those days when it was going to be tough what with the weather so we've got to analyse it further but from our point of view, psychologically and everything, it was great.

"The crowd have enjoyed it, the players have enjoyed it ultimately, the subs have gone on and enjoyed it.

"You can sense that it we can do things like this, win football matches, then it's so much nicer that it's untrue, it really is a pleasure.

"I was very impressed with them for an hour and even at 3-0 their manager was encouraging them.

"At 2-0 Gavin Ward pulled off any excellent save, which if it had gone to 2-1 it could have changed the game.

"It has been our day today, apart from a couple of sending offs which are not to be enjoyed but I am not sure if when Levi has dived in he's got the ball.

"I commentated on the game for TV last night and there was a similar tackle, perhaps a bit higher but in fairness it was the same sort of challenge and you are not going to get away with it.

"At this present time, if you are lunging into people unless the player is not having any contact with you then you are going to be carded.

"I feel sorry for young Levi; he had a booking early on for a little trip and was under pressure. We were at the point where we needed a goal so that we could take the two players off.

"Five minutes earlier we had got Darran Kempson off and big Louis off, and it was in the plan to get Levi off as well.

"He is a young lad who has learnt the hard way today.

"We have brought young Christian on, who a week ago nobody had heard of, we gave him a month's contract and he rose to get a good goal.

"Everything has gone really well. It has been an excellent day for everybody.

"The first goal was lucky but perhaps we needed something like that.

"When you are at the bottom of the table you always bemoan your luck. You actually make your own luck in this business, our mentality is very strong.

"We have had a really good pre-season and the lads are feeling that they can go out and win some football matches.

"Somewhere along the line they are going to be kicked up the backside and that will tell me a little bit more about them.

"It was very enjoyable today but we have to remember that for an hour we weren't the better side. For an hour they were better than us by miles and we were struggling so that is the standard that we've got to get used to.

"If teams in that hour score goals against us then we have got a test of character which I have got to find out about.

"It's nice to win football matches but you then have to sit down and analyse it, you don't expect a football fan to analyse you a game after a 5-0 win. They just see the goals and that's great because that is what it's all about.

"Myself and Martin especially so have to look at things again and again especially the first hour, and why did they have the ball more than us, why couldn't we pass it awfully well.

"We decided to be strong and hit the forwards early to get them in the game, it was a game plan which we stuck to and ultimately it got us more chances but footballing wise they were better than us.

"I have been saying since I came here that we have to find a way of winning football matches, we grinded our way through a difficult period and then when they opened up we pushed a button which really saw us run away with the match."