Nottingham Forest kick started their 2016/17 Sky Bet Championship campaign with a thrilling 4-3 win over newly-promoted Burton Albion in an absorbing clash at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
New manager Philippe Montanier got off to a winning start thanks to a brace from Britt Assombalonga, and a goal a piece from Thomas Lam and Oliver Burke. The Brewers goals came from Lucas Akins, Lloyd Dyer, and Tom Naylor.
It was a game that Burton manager Nigel Clough will be bitterly disappointed to not come away with a single point after his side matched the home team for the majority of the game, but it also showed how tough it will be for the club at this level.
FootballLeagueWorld writer Steve Day identifies THREE things we learned from the game on the opening weekend of the Championship season...
Assombalonga is back!
One of the big questions before the game was whether striker Assombalonga could be an influential figure in the club's fortunes this season, having spent the vast quantity of last season ruled out with a serious knee injury.
Any doubts relating to the former Peterborough United striker's scoring instincts were unequivocally answered, as he bagged two goals in this game.
The 23-year-old looked lively throughout the match and on another day may well have sealed a hat-trick.
It was great news for Forest fans, who witnessed their team suffer from drawing blanks in front of goal too often last season, and this is an unforgiving league where the lack of a 20 goal-a-season forward can end your promotion hopes.
However, possessing a player of that potency in your squad can also be enough to seal promotion.
Burton have what it takes to compete at Championship level
There will be little consolation to give Burton fans after a result like this, but they can certainly take heart from the fact that they were not overwhelmed by a very experienced outfit in Nottingham Forest in their first ever Championship match.
A number of players in the Burton side immediately proved they have the talent to deliver and succeed at this level.
A huge positive for the Brewers will be the performance of shining light Akins in this game.
The loss will be devastating, but the manner in which Burton never gave up and constantly troubled the Forest back-line should be enough to give their fans hope that this might not be a season that ends in relegation after all.
The future at Forest is bright
There was an incredible emphasis on youth in the Nottingham Forest squad in this game, with Ben Osborn, Jorge Grant, Oliver Burke, Matty Cash, Alex Iacovitti, and Dimitar Evtimov all 22 years of age or under and all featuring for Montanier's side.
It suggests that Montanier may well have found the perfect blend of youth and experience, with the likes of Matt Mills, Dorus De Vries, Damien Perquis, and David Vaughan all over the age of 30 and included in the match day squad.
However, it will be the mature performances of the young players that will leave the Forest fans the most delighted.
It was only a matter of months ago that Cash and Iacovitti made their debuts in the first team, but it looks like they are now here to stay.
Forest and Burton fans... what did you think of the game yesterday? Is there anything Forest fans learned about their team? Are Burton fans feeling optimistic or a little bit pessimistic after that match? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!