Javi Guerra scored the only goal of the game as Rayo Vallecano opened their account in the Primera Division at the fourth time of asking with a narrow 1-0 win at Las Palmas tonight.

A cagey encounter almost burst to life on 17 minutes when Adri Embarba headed narrowly over the bar, but the hosts took that as a warning and began to dominate.

First, Jonathan Viera blazed just over at the other end, before the Las Palmas hitman went close again with eight minutes left in the half - a miss that would prove costly.

With the first half drawing to a close, Guerra lifted the ball over the hosts' goalkeeper Raul to give Vallecano a slender lead against the run of play.

After the break, newly-promoted Las Palmas, searching for a first win themselves, stepped up their pursuit of a maiden victory and David Simon drilled narrowly wide of the post.

However, it proved a false dawn as Rayo never looked overly bothered and held on for their opening win of the campaign.