Wrexham 3-0 Eastbourne

Gareth Taylor grabbed a brace as Wrexham eased to a comfortable opening-day victory over Eastbourne Borough.

Hedi Taboubi opened the scoring nine minutes before the break with a fine 25-yard free-kick.

Striker Taylor got his first on 61 minutes when he scored from the penalty spot after Adrian Cieslewicz was fouled in the box.

Taylor sealed the win ten minutes later by lobbing the ball over keeper Danny Knowles, who claimed he was impeded.

Wrexham manager Dean Saunders:

"The three points were important. We could have scored a few more as well.

"We've played miles better than that throughout pre-season and maybe we were just a bit nervous today because it was the first game.

"I've got to be pleased with three points in the bag and a clean sheet."

Eastbourne manager Garry Wilson told BBC Sussex:
"Three incidents in the game killed us a little bit.

"I didn't think it was a free kick outside the box but to be fair he curled it into the top corner.

"The other decisions are hard to take. I didn't feel it was a penalty and I was very surprised when the linesman flagged.

"And then when Danny Knowles comes to collect a ball, he's bumped over and it's in the back of the net without the referee looking at it. The 50:50 decisions that could have been went against us."

Wrexham: Russell, Spann, Assoumani, Mike Williams, Neil Taylor, Cieslewicz (Smith 77), Taboubi, Fleming (Baynes 85), Jones, Gareth Taylor, Wolfenden (Marc Williams 69).
Subs Not Used: Maxwell, Fairhurst.

Booked: Taboubi.

Goals: Taboubi 34, Gareth Taylor 61 pen, 71.

Eastbourne Borough: Knowles, Austin, Pullan, Baker, Jenkins, Johnson (Smith 63), Armstrong, Taylor (Treleavan 84), Brown, Matt Crabb, Enver-Marum (Smart 74).
Subs Not Used: Jordan, Elphick.

Booked: Pullan.

Att: 3,726.

Ref: M Bristow (England).