Micky Mellon was delighted to re-write the history books as Oldham Athletic celebrated an opening day win for the first time in nine years.
Jes Uchegbulam and Harry Charsley scored on their debuts and Mike Fondop completed a 3-0 win at home to newly promoted Braintree Town Matt Hudson also saved a penalty on the stroke of half-time to preserve the clean sheet, and fire Latics into second place in the fledgling National League table.
You have to go back to August 3, 2013, to find the last time Latics won their first league games, and longer still - to August 6, 2005 - for the last opening day win and clean sheet at home, and Mellon said: "Everyone kept telling me that we hadn't won the first game for ages and all that kind of thing, but that's stopped now.
"It's important to get off to a good start, get a victory and get it on the board really, really quickly and we managed to do that today.
"There's lots to be pleased about but loads of work to be done and hopefully I'm just standing here and saying that's just what Oldham do, they just win games of football and we just get on with it and move on.
"The good thing is we can be better, but I think the first game of the season is always kind of a nervy affair and when you're at Oldham you're expected to come out of the traps like lightning. The players knew that.
"We scored some goals, got one chalked off that I don't know what for, they missed a penalty, we could have had a couple more, but all in all it's a satisfying start to the season.
"The encouraging thing is I know we can play better."
Uchegbulam got the ball rolling with his ninth minute goal, tucking away a clever finish after getting on the end of Dan Gardner's exquisite diagonal ball.
"He's such a talented boy, that's why we wanted to get him in, he gives you a different dimension," said Mellon of his summer signing.
"We wanted to get some pace in the side because I thought that's what we lacked, a wee bit of energy and pace and he certainly gives you that."
Charsley also scored on his debut to give Latics a 2-0 lead before the break, with Hudson saving Inih Effiong's penalty on the stroke of half-time, before Fondop wrapped things up.
"If you can score on your debut you're really pleased," added Mellon.
"But it was their (overall) work-rate and sticking to it.
"They (Braintree) are a difficult team to play against because they have two real, old-fashioned target men up front that make it very difficult for you and every time it goes up there it's really contested, so you have to fight for the knockdowns or try to win that first contact. They'll cause teams a lot of problems by doing that.
"I thought the centre backs went to war with them and had a real good battle with them and thankfully came out on top.
"All over the pitch I'm pleased with the players. As the weeks go on we will improve but that's encouraging."
He added: "We're off and running.
"But we genuinely won't get carried away. It's important that we win games of football and it was nice to see the Oldham fans with big smiles on their face, that's what it's all about, on a nice afternoon.
"It's important that you get a win, score some goals, get clean sheets, take pride in your clean sheets. We scored a variety of goals as well. It's important that everyone sees what you're about.
"We will get better, we will get slicker, we will get slicker as the weeks go on but it's a fantastic start."
