Played in front of a good-sized crowd away from the club's Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve base at Strathfieldsaye, City went one-nil ahead following a 30th minute goal to Luke Burns.

Despite being unable to convert several more good chances throughout the match, City was rarely troubled at the defensive end of the pitch and held their one-goal margin through until full-time.

It was just the start Greg Thomas' squad was looking for in its debut game in the MSL.

The clash marked Bendigo City's first senior match for championship points since the 2017 season, the club's last in the NPL.

Only a few players remain from that squad, with the majority of Saturday's line-up aged 22 or below.

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Thomas, who previously played in the National Soccer League and coached Bendigo City FC in the NPL back in 2016, hailed the win as one of the proudest in his days in soccer.

"We didn't know what to expect from the opposition; they finished up near the top last year, so to get three points was amazing," he said.

"I thought that in the first half we played some really good football - obviously they had their moments in the first half as well, but I thought we could have gone in two or three up.

"But we got through to the half with a clean sheet.

"The second half, they changed the way they played and really put us under the pump.

"They put a really big boy up front, which caused us some problems, but credit to our boys, we only have a couple of guys over the age of 20, and they stood firm.

"Hopefully this is the start of something good.

"I'm so proud of the boys. It's pretty emotional - it's been such a long journey through the pre-season.

"That's been five months, but it's been 18 months really of putting this together.

"To get to where we have and to get that one out of the way is just a massive thing for us."

With strong contributors all over the field, Thomas said he was reluctant to single out individuals.

"It was hard work in the heat, but credit to the boys, they really dug deep in the last 25 minutes and kept a clean sheet, which we haven't done a lot during the pre-season," he said.

"For everyone at the club - and having four 16-year-olds sitting on the bench - it was a proud day for the whole club.

"I would hate singling anyone out, it's been a massive effort just to get where we are."

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Attention now turns to this Saturday's away clash against Lara United, which lost its season opener one-nil to Balmoral FC.

It will be the followed by the club's first game of the season at Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve against Maribyrnong Greens on April 2.

A clean sweep for Bendigo City on Saturday included a 3-nil win in the reserves clash.

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