Spalding United earned a historic win in their first ever match at National League level.
Two goals from Bart Cybulski earned the Tulips a fantastic 2-0 win at Radcliffe.
After an injury hit pre-season, the big striker showed no signs of fatigue as he downed a home side that finished comfortably in mid-table in the National League North last season.
The first half was an even affair of few chances as both sides cancelled each other out.
There were moments for either side, a Max McCarthy header going just over for Radcliffe while Yusifu Ceesay was looking lively for Spalding.
The Tulips stepped it up in the second half with Jack Roberts forcing the first shot on target, not long before they netted a first goal at step two level.
Ceesay showed his class throughout and after beating a man on the left his low ball across was turned goalward by Cybulski and a Radcliffe defender could only help it on its way into the back of the net.
Moments later Cybulski put Ceesay through on goal himself, but the forward was unable to beat the keeper.
While Radcliffe had plenty of possession they struggled to break the Tulips down while at the other end. Johnson hit the bar and Roberts had a free kick deflected just wide of the far post.
The same player forced opposing keeper Tom Donaghy into a flying save after a header from around eight yards out.
Into injury time one of the debutants, Sam Straughton-Brown, picked up the ball and put Cybulski through, the striker making no mistake for 2-0 and a first three points of the season for the newly promoted side.
“It’s a difficult side to face with lots of experience and quality, so to come away with three points in the first game at step two is an excellent performance,” said manager Jimmy Dean. “I think the first 25 minutes the game was playing out how they wanted to play out.
“The back four were still excellent when we weren’t very good.
“We came into it a bit, sat on the ball more and liked like us but still weren’t how we wanted it to look.
“In the second half it was about looking at where we can hurt them and get the ball forward quicker.
“To be honest I think we should have had four or five goals in that second half.
“We had a lot of good control and looked pretty formidable defensively.
“Once we found our voice and found our heart, I thought we were very good value for the win.”
Now it’s the first home games of the season with former Football League side Macclesfield in town next Tuesday night after Saturday’s game with Oxford City at the Sir Halley.
“They’re a full time side who have a great manager proven at the level,” said Dean. “It’s going to be a really difficult challenge.
“We’ve been given a really tough challenge, but in this league they’re all going to be tough.
Tulips: Crook, Olopade, Kelly, Moore, Johnson, Bendle (Pugh 74), Roberts (Xavier-Jones 94), Cybulski, Ceesay (Grant 94), Jarvis (Straughan-Brown 74), Byrne. Subs not used: Fox, Sembie-Ferris, Wilks.
Attendance: 1,200.
