County face their shortest away trip of the league season tomorrow afternoon, as we take on promotion chasers Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium, looking for a second straight away win.
Last weekend’s defeat at home to Grimsby Town was a frustrating setback for Dave Challinor’s side, as we failed to build on that win at Bradford City a fortnight ago.
We now sit 16th in the league table, just three points above Hartlepool United and Crawley Town in the relegation zone and 12 points behind tomorrow’s opponents. A four point gap to Walsall in 15th means we cannot move up the league table in this game.
Salford were also beaten last weekend, as they went down 1-0 at home to Bradford thanks to an early goal from Andy Cook. The promotion-hopefuls currently occupy the final play-off spot in 7th, but are only three points off an automatic promotion place.
Tickets in the away end for this fixture are SOLD OUT.
Our Opponents:
Salford are now into their fourth season as an EFL Club, after securing promotion via the National League play-offs in 2019 – beating Dave Challinor’s AFC Fylde side in the final at Wembley.
Despite the big ambitions of the Club and being installed as promotion favourites in each of the three previous seasons, The Ammies have yet to reach the play-off places in League Two, finishing in 11th, 8th and last season, 10th.
Despite a strong run in the second half of last season, they ultimately finished seven points shy of the top seven, resulting in the Club parting company with manager Gary Bowyer over the Summer after 14 months in charge.
Having appointed several experienced, high-profile managers in the past, Salford opted for a change of direction going into the new campaign, appointing Manchester United U23s boss Neil Wood as Bowyer’s replacement.
The 39-year-old has gone for youth over experience in the transfer market too, with eight of their 11 signings this season aged 23 or under, notably including highly-rated Manchester United youngster Ethan Galbraith on loan for the season and attacking midfielder Odin Bailey, who joined from Birmingham City.
The signs so far have been promising, with Wood implementing an attractive style of play that has wielded results in the opening months of the season, particularly away from home. Only Grimsby and Leyton Orient have picked up more points on their travels so far, with 13 points from their six away games – losing just once, at Doncaster.
They have tended to struggle more on their own pitch in recent weeks, however. After winning their first three games at the Peninsula Stadium, they are now winless in their last four at home – drawing with Grimsby and Crawley, whilst losing to Tranmere and Bradford.
They are the lowest scorers in the current top seven with 17, although only Tranmere (9) and Leyton Orient (7) have conceded fewer than their ten league goals.
Match Stats:
- This will be the two Clubs’ first ever meeting in the EFL and the first in all competitions since a 2-2 draw in January 2018 – with Jason Oswell and Bohan Dixon on the scoresheet for County.
- In five previous meetings with Salford, County have won two, drawn one and lost one. We will be looking for our first away win against The Ammies.
- County will be looking to win back-to-back away games in the EFL for the first time since September 2010, when beating Macclesfield and Oxford United.
- Paddy Madden has become the first County player to score in three successive EFL games since George Donnelly in 2010. The last player to score in four straight EFL games was Anthony Elding back in 2007.
