Peterborough United 3

Boyd (58), McLean (73), McCann (88)

Bristol Rovers 0

After a promising first half display, when they were twice denied goals by excellent saves from home keeper Joe Lewis, Rovers failed to build on their performance after the break and conceded three second half goals.

There was also a claim for a penalty after an apparent foul on Jo Kuffour just before the break, though no advantage was given to Paul Trollope's side.

An opening day defeat at London Road is nothing new, of course, as they lost 4-1 on the first day of the promotion season of 2006/07.

The disappointment came with the way the first two goals were conceded because, up until that point, the back four had looked very solid and chances were being created at the other end.

Manager Paul Trollope included summer signings James Tunnicliffe, Gary Sawyer and Will Hoskins in his starting lineup.

They all made their league debuts for the club, while Wayne Brown and Mikkel Andersen, who also signed during the close season, also start.

Byron Anthony started at right back, while there was no place in the side for midfielder Chris Lines, who will be on the bench.

Another of the manager's summer recruits, Harry Pell, was the unlucky player not to make the cut and was the one to be left out of the 19 man squad.

In a lively opening to the game defender Danny Coles was booked inside the first two minutes, but we had to wait a little bit longer for an attack of any quality.

That duly arrived on seven minutes, but Byron Anthony was alert at the back post to head a deep cross behind for the first corner of the afternoon.

A first time shot from home striker Aaron Mclean drifted wide of the target a minute later, while Jeff Hughes went close at the other end, powering a header just wide from Anthony's cross.

A James Tunnicliffe header, from a Hughes cross, was deflected behind and from the resulting corner Dominic Blizzard headed over.

The home side hit back and Craig Mackail Smith squandered a good opportunity, hitting a shot over the bar when well placed.

Will Hoskins was then played in by Jo Kuffour, but was denied his first Rovers goal as Joe Lewis raced off his line to smother his shot.

Mikkel Andersen was called into action as the half hour mark approached, saving comfortably from George Boyd.

Hughes was then denied by Lewis after taking down a cross from Kuffour and Blizzard headed high over the bar while Hoskins curled a shot just wide of the upright.

The major talking point of the half, though, centred on an incident on 43 minutes. As Kuffour raced into the area and shaped to shoot, he appeared to have his shirt pulled by a home defender. He didn't go down, and scuffed an effort wide of goal, but was clearly annoyed that a penalty had not been given.

The home side began the second half in a more urgent fashion and took the lead 13 minutes in. Kelvin Langmead swept the ball out wide to George Boyd, who picked his spot to beat Andersen with an angled drive.

There was almost a second goal six minutes later when McLean's shot was deflected on to a post and Brown was on hand to clear Langmead's shot off the line on 69 minutes.

Hoskins did have a shot blocked in a rare Rovers attack, but it came as little surprise when a second home goal arrived.

Andersen raced out to the edge of his area to try to rob Mclean, but the striker evaded the challenge only to see his shot cleared off the line by Tunnicliffe. However the ball rebounded straight to him and he rolled the ball into an empty net.

Andersen saved well from substitute Charlie Lee before the home side scored a third goal when McCann curled a free kick around the defensive wall into the bottom corner of the net.

Darryl Duffy fired wide and Kuffour was denied b a fine save from Lewis in the final minute, and Rovers will now look to bounce back in Tuesday evening's Carling Cup tie against Oxford United.

Rovers: Mikkel Andersen, Byron Anthony, Danny Coles, James Tunnicliffe, Gary Sawyer, Stuart Campbell, Wayne Brown (Darryl Duffy, 84), Dominic Blizzard, Will Hoskins, Jo Kuffour, Jeff Hughes (Chris Lines, 72)

Substitutes: Carl Regan, Mike Green, Eliot Richards, Charlie Reece, Ben Swallow

Booked: Coles, Blizzard

Peterborough: Joe Lewis, Mark Little, Kelvin Langmead, Ryan Bennett, Seth Nana Ofori-Twumasi, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (Arron Davies, 60), Grant McCann, James Wesolowski (Charlie Lee, 76), George Boyd, Craig Mackail-Smith, Aaron McLean (Lee Tomlin, 78)

Substitutes: Tommy Rowe, Carl Piergianni, Nathan Koranteng, Steve Collis,

Booked: Bennett

Referee: Mr GL Ward

Attendance: 7,113

Rovers supporters: 661