Real Betis 1 : 2 Granada CF - Dream beginning for Resino

New coach Abel Resino enjoyed a great start to life on the Granada bench as his side defeated Andalusian rivals Real Betis 2-1 to climb out of the Primera Division relegation zone.

Resino replaced the sacked Fabri Gonzalez earlier this week and he could not have asked for much more from his new charges after seeing them build a deserved 2-0 half-time lead through goals from Odion Ighalo and Carlos Martins.

Betis pulled a goal back with nine minutes remaining through substitute Jonathan Pereira to set up a tense finale, but Granada held on for only their sixth win of the season.

The victory lifts Granada out of the bottom three and to within a point of 12th-placed Betis, who had been in decent form coming into the match.

In contrast, Granada had been in a dismal run of form with four defeats in their previous five matches - a sequence that led to Fabri, who guided the club to back-to-back promotions and a berth in the top flight for the first time in 35 years, losing his job.

Resino was the man tasked with saving Granada's Primera Division status and his side took a step towards that goal with an important win.

Ighalo gave them a flying start with that early goal, the Nigerian drilling in a low strike after being set up by Martins.

Martins then went close to doubling the lead in the 36th minute following a rapid counter-attack but his effort was saved by Betis goalkeeper Espinosa Casto.

Martins was not to be denied three minutes later though as he did make it 2-0, slotting in a Franco Jara pass with the goal at his mercy.

Granada continued to impress at the start of the second half and Dani Benitez fired a good opening wide before Betis finally started to cause their opponents problems with Jorge Molina and substitute Alejandro Pozuelo going close.

The hosts then gave themselves hope of salvaging a point when Pereira netted from close range, but they could not go on to force an equaliser as Granada kept them at bay to claim a valuable triumph.