Rushden & Diamonds 0-2 Salisbury

Salisbury got their season off to a winning start with an away victory against Rushden & Diamonds.

Rushden missed a great early chance when Jamie Turley fouled Lee Tomlin, only for Aaron O'Connor to blaze the resulting penalty over.

City took the lead after half-time when Jamie Stuart headed into his own net.

Chris Flood curled in City's second late on and Rushden, who missed a host of second-half chances, had Simon Downer dismissed in injury time.

Rushden & Diamonds manager Justin Edinburgh told BBC Radio Northampton:

"Nobody wants to get beaten first game of the season at home. It's a bitterly disappointing result.

"I can't fault the commitment and effort, but we're not ruthless enough in the final third.

"We'll have to go back to the training ground and put in the practice. We've got to be strong and resilient and finish of the chances to punish teams."

Rushden & D'monds: Roberts, Osano, Downer, Stuart, Robinson, Tomlin, Wolleaston, McNamara (Porter 73), Reid (Smith 70), Akurang (Farrell 61), O'Connor.
Subs Not Used: Cousins, Corcoran.

Sent Off: Downer (90).

Booked: McNamara, Downer.

Salisbury: Bittner, Turley, Spence, Anderson, Clohessy, Sinclair, Webb (Cox 83), Clarke, O'Hara (Flood 69), Matthews, Tubbs (Gray 90).
Subs Not Used: Ben Osman, Toby Osman.

Booked: Bittner, Matthews, Tubbs.

Goals: Stuart 47 og, Flood 90.

Att: 1,272.

Ref: M Brown (Bristol).