Eastbourne Borough should not be too downbeat despite what appears to be an opening day drubbing.

That was the message from manager Garry Wilson and captain Paul Armstrong after a classy Wrexham side ran out 3-0 winners at the Racecourse Ground.

The Dragons served notice that they will be a force to be reckoned with this season with a high-tempo performance where foreign imports Hedi Taboubi and Adrian Cieslewicz shone.

A 40% improvement on last season’s 5-0 defeat at Wrexham may be putting too much of a positive spin on things but there were certainly signs to suggest Borough can build on a tremendous first season at this level.

Wilson’s men defied the odds to finish 13th last season and will perhaps find it even harder this year with expectation levels raised and opponents knowing what to expect.

What Borough have to do is not worry about defeats like this but instead concentrate their efforts on games where they can expect to pick up points, starting with tomorrow’s home fixture against AFC Wimbledon.

The experienced Armstrong acknowledged home form will be crucial.

He said: “If anything major happens come the end of the season we are not going to look back and say away to Wrexham on the first day cost us. We shouldn’t be downbeat, not with some of the games we have coming up.

“Home games are going to be massive. We are definitely going to nick away wins but, without being too negative, we are not necessarily thinking coming to places like Wrexham and getting a result.

“We knew we weren’t going to come here and overrun them.

“They are going to be a good side but we dealt with them pretty well. They didn’t outplay us until maybe the last 20 minutes when they got the third goal.”

Wilson is a man who would not like losing a game of tiddlywinks so he would not have enjoyed Saturday’s loss but he took comfort in certain aspects of Borough’s play as well as the fact the margin of defeat could have been less but for two borderline decisions.

I felt the officials got it right with the first, a penalty awarded against Neil Jenkins which effectively ended the game, and wrong with the second, when goalkeeper Danny Knowles appeared to be impeded by former Wales international Gareth Taylor.

Wilson said: "It was a difficult game for us and I don’t think we were really helped by some of the decisions.

"The penalty was a poor decision and with the third goal we have spoken to Gareth Taylor and he said it was definitely a foul.

“In open play I don’t think they have hurt us that much. I thought we kept possession well and started the second half well.

“There are a lot of positives we can take forward. This isn’t a target game for us for points. We target every home game we play and maybe the clubs that are going to be around us away from home.”

With Andy Atkin and Simon Weatherstone ruled out by injury, Wilson handed debuts to three of his summer signings as well as giving a surprise full league debut to teenage midfielder Simon Johnson ahead of Dan Smith, the club’s only full-time professional.

Wrexham created three chances in the first ten minutes and finally went ahead 12 minutes before the break when Marc Pullan conceded a free-kick in a central position 25 yards from goal which Taboubi floated into Knowles’ top left-hand corner.

There was an almighty scramble to end the half as Mansour Assoumani (twice) and Gareth Taylor had shots blocked on the line.

Jamie Taylor headed wide within 30 seconds of the restart and Matt Crabb then curled a free-kick against Sam Russell’s left-hand post, however, it was game over in the 61st minute when Jenkins brought down the pacy Cieslewicz for a penalty which Gareth Taylor coolly converted.

Borough were unhappy with the penalty decision and even more displeased with the third goal on 71 minutes as Mike Williams thumped a long ball forward which Knowles came for and failed to collect, claiming he had been impeded by Gareth Taylor who hooked the ball home with his back to goal.

Dragons boss Dean Saunders said: “We needed a bounce of the ball and I thought we got that today. With the second and third sometimes they give them, sometimes they don’t. They kept going but in the end we were comfortable winners.”

Eastbourne Borough: Knowles; Austin, Pullan, Austin, Jenkins; Johnson (sub D.Smith 63), Brown, Armstrong, M.Crabb; Enver-Marum (sub Smart 74), J.Taylor (sub Treleaven 84). Subs not used: Elphick, Jordan.

Booked: Pullan (32, foul).

Wrexham: Russell; Spann, Assoumani, Mike Williams, N.Taylor; Cieslewicz (sub C.Smith 77), Fleming (sub Baynes 85), Taboubi, Jones; G.Taylor, Wolfenden (sub Marc Williams 69). Subs not used: Fairhurst, Maxwell.

Booked: Taboubi (31, foul).