Star date: 1st February 2014

NINE MAN SALFORD'S STUNNING WIN

Salford City 2 Lancaster City 1

Incredible, staggering, super Salford City stunned Lancaster this afternoon to win 2-1, despite playing the last half hour with only nine men, after new re-signings Rob Kinsella and Jamie Rother had both been sent off within five minutes of each other. Mark Battersby, leading the attack on his own, hammered in the winner.

Match report and photos here…

Superb Salford City held off high flying Lancaster to win with only nine men at Moor Lane this afternoon – and at the final whistle players hugged and Ammies supporters sang like it was a cup final. An incredible performance in which sheer guts and determination got Salford over the finishing line after five breathless minutes of added time.

Yet during the first half it was hard to imagine such a game of football breaking out. Lancaster took the lead after only ninety seconds, a free kick rolled to the by-line, and squared into the six yard box for a tap in.

At 0-1 it looked ominous for the Ammies, until former forward Rob Kinsella - re-signed a few weeks ago - was floored in the area and, from the spot, Mark Battersby sent the keeper the wrong way to equalise. 1-1 at the interval, with nothing else of note happening in the first half at all.

Salford came out more determined after the break, with Mark Battersby first hitting a tame shot at the keeper when through on goal, and later forcing the Lancaster stopper into a flying save with a vicious effort from the right of the box.

Just as Salford looked to be getting on top, the referee sent off centre forward Rob Kinsella for a second yellow card, after a soft challenge on the edge of the area. As Salford fans sang `You don't know what you're doing' at the ref, coupled with a circus theme tune, the Lancaster free kick came to nothing.

Now down to ten men, aggrieved Salford went back up the field and Battersby again went close with a rasping shot that flew just wide of the post. Five minutes after Kinsella's dismissal, however, Jamie Rother - another former Ammie who re-signed this week - was also sent off, this time for what the ref believed was a late challenge. Cue more circus tunes.

Minutes later, Salford manager Phil Power, incensed with yet another free kick given against his team, almost followed Rother and Kinsella as the ref lost it completely. The game was at boiling point but the reality was that Salford, down to nine men with almost half an hour to play, were potentially looking down the barrel of a hiding as Lancaster looked to spread play down the wings.

Instead, the team found composure, Aaron Walters and Warren Gaskill, in particular, defending with determination, and Josh Messer tirelessly holding up play in the midfield. Every Salford fan would have taken a draw at this point. But Mark Battersby had other ideas and, with five minutes of normal time remaining, he battered home a shot that miraculously gave the Ammies the lead. 2-1.

Lancaster drove forward and had a header hit the base of the post but little else as they constantly ran up against the brilliant brick wall of the Salford eight man defence.

With five added minutes and waves of Lancaster attacks, nerve jangled fans were on their feet singing, stamping and praying that Salford could hold out. They did. And at the final whistle players hugged and the fans sang `We only need nine men'. It felt like the Ammies had won the cup but this was three more points towards the play-offs.

While the ref left the field to more circus theme tunes, Salford players got the standing ovation that they deserved. This was a solid team performance, with every single one of the nine men giving 150% to secure the victory. An incredible game. And a stunning result.

Photos by Gareth Lyons and Andrew Goudie

Main photo shows Mark Battersby slotting home his penalty to equalise