Monday 10 August 2015 14:28, UK
Paul Cook told everyone associated with Portsmouth to enjoy their Saturday-evening pints as life under him began with a 3-0 win over Dagenham.
Ex-Chesterfield boss Cook, who was lured to the post of one of the favourites for promotion, watched on as new signing Gareth Evans opened the scoring in the second half before Kyle Bennett, another summer recruit, struck a double soon after at Fratton Park.
"The outcome is everything that everyone wanted," Cook said.
"To win in front of a crowd like we did, to score a couple of great goals - all into that Fratton End - it was just a really good, positive day.
"Our focus all year is to get promoted, I don't mind saying this. We want to get promoted, that's a start of a long journey and it's a good first step."
It took Pompey 51 minutes to break the deadlock but once Evans had struck first, Bennett's brace soon followed.
"You rely on your quality of players to see you there," Cook added.
"Kyle Bennett's turned up today, Gary Roberts has turned up today, Gareth Evans has scored a goal, Matty Tubbs is just learning how to play that role. Defensively we looked sound and I thought we limited Dagenham to very few chances.
"All in all it's pleasing. It was just a great day for everyone at the club, not just me. Everyone's put this club back on the map. I think everyone can go and have a pint and say, 'We've had a good day'.
"That's all it is, we're not getting carried away. These days are very important - that everyone feels that success."
Daggers manager Wayne Burnett denied suggestions his team fell away as the contest wore on.
"I don't think we ran out of steam," he noted.
"I thought first half they were better than us and I thought second half they were better than us.
"They've got some very good players. Saying that, we kind of caused our own problems, especially in the first half. We kept giving the ball away.
"Second half - (they scored from a) corner, throw-in. For all their good play - and they did have good play - they scored from two restarts.
"It's a difficult place to come and we haven't helped ourselves. There were too many of our players that didn't play to their potential, which was disappointing. But it was our first game, we have to dust ourselves off and march on again."
