Nail-biting affair for Gary Neville and the Class of 92 as Salford City win 1-0 against Stockport County in the first leg of their League Two play-off semi-final to move one step closer to Wembley
- Salford City squeezed into the play-offs by a single goal ahead of Mansfield Town
- The play-off winners will meet either Bradford City or Carlisle United at Wembley
- Salford was bought in 2014 by Class of 92 and Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim
The glamor of co-owning Manchester United’s Class of 92 isn’t what it used to be now that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have brought Hollywood to Wrexham, but, watched by Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Salford City came one step closer to a date at Wembley and a place in League One last night.
Bought by the Class of 92 and Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim in 2014, Salford took a deserved 1-0 victory over Stockport County in the first leg of their League Two play-off semi-final at the Peninsula Stadium, a narrow lead they will go into stage two at Edgeley Park this Saturday.
Salford, who squeezed into the play-offs one goal ahead of Mansfield Town, were promoted to League Two in 2019 and this was the biggest game in their history. The winners will meet either Bradford City or Carlisle United at Wembley on Bank Holiday Sunday later this month.
Salford recorded a deserved 1–0 victory over Stockport County in the first leg of their semi-final
Salford City was bought in 2014 by the Class of 92 and Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim
Stockport, who finished three places and four points above Salford in the regular season, entered the game with a long list of injuries including all three top scorers, Kyle Wootton, Paddy Madden and Will Collar. It was the visitors’ goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe who had to make a clever save early on from former Watford defender Adrian Mariappa after running on an unmarked cross near the back post.
Salford dominated the early stages, but Stockport came desperately close to opening the scoring after 16 minutes. Alex Cairns made a superb save from Connor Lemonheigh-Evans but was powerless to stop Ryan Croasdale’s follow-up, who flew past him but fired off the underside of the crossbar.
A minute later, Salford took the lead. Elliot Watt curled in a cross from the right and as Salford’s towering striker, Matt Smith, struggled with Fraser Horsfall to get first, the striker won the battle and headed his head over Hinchliffe into the net.
Salford were the better side in a first half that saw a burst of crowd trouble close to the break and Hinchliffe had to make another fine save, from a Stevie Mallan free-kick, to prevent the home side from taking the lead further.
Hinchliffe was called back into action 20 minutes from time to deny Conor McAleny and secure a thrilling second leg at Stockport next weekend.