Star date: 3rd January 2012

Salford City 1 Prescot Cables 1

SALFORD'S KEEPER CURSE STRIKES AGAIN

After only five minutes of play Salford City's goalie, Chris Howarth, had to go off injured, only to be replaced by midfielder Jamie Buguley. With no sub keeper on the bench this is the third time this season that the Ammies have had to hand the gloves to an outfield player. But Salford still held on to win a point.

Match report and photos here…

"We don't need a keeper, we don't need a keeper…na, na, na, naaaaaahhhh'

Yet again the curse of the Salford keepers hit the Ammies, as regular goalie Chris Howarth got a nasty looking injury after only five minutes of play. Despite intensive treatment he couldn't carry on and his yellow shirt lay on the ground for what seemed ages as the Salford players debated over who should take over in nets.

Already this season, striker Danny Heffernan and centre back Martin Parker have ended up between the sticks. And with Parker himself out injured, and Heffernan uninterested, it was left to midfielder Jamie Baguley to become the third outfield player to go in goal and the seventh different goalie Salford City have used this season.

Unfortunately, Baguley's first job was to get the ball out of the net. Within minutes of him donning the gloves a Cables cross came over which he could only watch as it drifted to the far post. The defence tried to clear the ball but it fell to a Cables striker who drilled it in. 0-1.

This could have been the start of an avalanche of goals for Prescot but, with determined defending by Salford and woeful attacking by Prescot, Baguley was untroubled again until five minutes before the final whistle.

Indeed, Salford could have wrapped up the points in the first half alone. Firstly Danny Heffernan equalised five minutes after the Prescot opener with a blockbuster drive from 25 yards that wazzed past the keeper. 1-1. And in first half injury time Adam Morning was hauled down in the area for a cast iron penalty which wasn't given. Cue the ref leaving the pitch at the interval with `clown' chants ringing in his ears.

The second half started with Gavin Salmon rattling the Prescot post with a fab shot on the run, followed by a Scott Metcalfe header that produced a flying save from the Cables keeper. Later in the half a Danny Heffernan header was squeezed off the line by keeper but the Ammies had to settle for a point.

Given that Salford City had no proper keeper, a point is better than none. But Ammies fans will be hoping that the play off train gets back on track this Saturday away at Harrogate Railway…

Photos by Andrew Goudie