Rugby Town made the perfect start to their Calor League campaign with a comfortable win at newly-promoted Aylesbury United.

With the Play-Off Final defeat now consigned to recent history, optimisim was high going into the first game.

Manager Dave Stringer fielded two of his new signings with goalkeeper Niall Cooper making his debut and forward Justin Marsden returning for his first league appearance for eight seasons.

Town had the better of the early exchanges playing tight, neat football and defender Ellis Myles had the first opportunity though his weak shot should have been held better by home keeper Jack Sillitoe.

As the half wore on, Rugby should have took the lead with all the chances they were getting with both Craig Kelly scuffing his shot from a Richard Blythe throughball and Lewis McBride volleying inches wide of the post after a decent cross from Marsden.

Aylesbury did not have a shot until the 26th minute, but it was a weak effort from Richard Armstrong.

On the half hour mark, McBride went on a rampaging run through the middle of the park before releasing the ball to Seb Lake-Gaskin but the keeper judged it right and smothered out the danger.

Seven minutes before half time, Rugby took a deserved lead when Lake-Gaskin made a trademark burst past his marker in the penalty area and drove his shot past the keeper into the bottom corner of the net.

Early in the second half, the home side had a goal disallowed when Dean Allen scored from a Keith Williams cross only for him to foul Cooper as adjudged by the referee.

Rugby with the lead were looking in control, and 20 minutes into the second half extended their lead when David Kolodynski continued his scoring feats from last season with a delicate and exquisite chip over Sillitoe from inside the area after a cracking pass from Sam Youngs.

With the game seemingly now won for the away side, Aylesbury started to tire with no threat to cutting the deficit with Rugby nearly scoring further but both Youngs and Marsden efforts were both wide.

So a decent start for Rugby Town, a game against a promoted side can be tricky to negotiate but the game was comfortable without getting into top gear.

Valley Line-up: Cooper; Myles, Kelly, Rowley, Gudger; McBride, Mardsen, Blythe, Youngs; Lake-Gaskin (Belcher); Kolodynski. Subs not used: Palmer, Booth, Dodd, Bishop. Booked: Marsden.

Aylesbury United: Sillitoe, S Wood, Williams, J Wood, Morgan, Hatch, Baines, Armstrong, Allen, Petrucci, Reynolds.