Just when it seemed that the frailties which brought Ipswich Town's relegation from the Premier League two seasons ago might be resurfacing among new players and a new manager, substitute Jack Clarke wrote a new beginning with a 90th-minute winner against Sunderland .
Clarke raced clear and curled his low shot into the far corner with a precision and a coolness that was mostly absent at Portman Road the last time they were among England's elite.
Clarke curls in his late winner against Sunderland - Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Then it took them 11 matches to secure their first league win. Manager Gary O'Neil was at pains to point out that it was a different squad under a different manager, but he did not try to conceal the importance of three points on opening day this time around.
O'Neil said: "I think it was November before they got their first Premier League win two years ago. So to be up and running this time is where we want to be.
"I am especially pleased for the players who were here two years ago and who had that pressure on them.
"But there are a lot more tests for us coming up thick and fast. Today's win is not going to do anything for us unless we're ready to go again at Old Trafford next weekend."
Cool heads and calmness were understandably largely absent on a day of such feverish excitement in Suffolk.
A debut goal from Brazilian striker Emersonn , sliding the ball home after a driving run from Julio Enciso , put Ipswich ahead.
That was in the 24th minute, a neat piece of synchronicity given the £24m transfer fee that brought him to Ipswich this summer.
Emersonn celebrates after opening his Premier League account on debut - Dylan Martinez/Reuters
By then, though, they would have been behind save for an outstanding block by Leif Davis on Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey .
The visitors then found giant Ipswich goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen in the way of a Noah Sadiki header. At 6ft 9in, the Dutchman is the tallest player in Premier League history.
Two seasons ago, the home side's attempts to stay up were hampered by an inability to hold on to leads, particularly at home.
So it seemed that a sumptuous Nilson Angulo free-kick, curled in off the underside of the Ipswich crossbar in the 37th minute, would give visitors Sunderland a deserved point.
Even at full stretch, Kjell Scherpen is unable to keep out Nilson Angulo's delightful free-kick - Dylan Martinez/Reuters
If the opening of the second half resembled a basketball game, things tightened up until Clarke, sent on for the final 20 minutes, curled beyond Robin Roefs to send Portman Road into raptures.
There is no need for Sunderland to fret given their greater control of the ball for the most part, but with a Europa League campaign to start this autumn they will want to rediscover last season's form quickly.
Manager Régis Le Bris said: "The result is a bit cruel because we dominated the ball, but dominating possession doesn't mean you win the game.
"We created chances but it's a shame we were not clinical enough to score more goals than we did.
"Our goal was a nice goal, and I'm happy for Nilson but it is still a defeat. We will try to analyse quickly this defeat to go forward."
