Salford City were up against it in the last twenty minutes at Lancaster but held out to secure a 1-0 win which takes the club in sight of the play off places with games in hand.
Adrian Bellamy broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, hitting home after the Lancaster keeper had spilled a cross. Salford hung on throughout the second half, Danny Taberner making a point blank save and a couple of shots being hacked off the line by Ammies defenders.
Early on, Salford dominated, coming closest when Rob Kinsella – later to be substituted with a head injury – nodded a cross against the bar. And in the second half, when the Ammies broke out of defence, they always looked dangerous, Jimmy Holden spraying passes out wide and the hard working Nathan McDonald almost springing the off-side trap to sprint through on goal.
But as the game wore on, it was back to the wall stuff as Lancaster pressed. But Salford City held firm, and sub Jamie Rother could have doubled the score, clean through as the referee blew the full time whistle.
It wasn't quite the 4-0 trouncing that Salford City dished out to Lancaster City a few weeks ago in the FA Cup, but this was three points, well won, which take the Ammies up to seventh in the table with games in hand. There's a long way to go but the pay-offs are now a realistic dream.
Photos by Andrew Goudie