Salford has got so many games in hand over the higher up teams in the league that if we won them all we'd be pushing for promotion, never mind being fourth from bottom. So bring on Prescot Cables - who have played seven more games than us - for the first of four home fixtures in December.
Surely after all our never-say-die cup scrambles of late against loftier opposition a team from our own league shouldn't present too much of a problem? Like, yeah, sure.
It might have been a hangover from all the postponed matches…it could have been the heavy pitch which doesn't help Salford's silky skilful passing game…or it could have been the two injuries which forced City into two changes before half time…but the Ammies today just weren't at the races.
Against a scarily well organised Prescot team which defended and attacked in numbers, Salford didn't muster a proper shot on target until the 90th minute, by which time the game was well and truly over as a contest. Yet it could have all been so different, as a couple of Salford half chances went begging in the first ten minutes, before Cables opened the scoring with a really soft goal.
Salford should really have cleared the first Cables attack as the ball bobbed around in the area…but instead it fell to an opposition forward who blasted what looked like a certain goal until Andy Robertson flung himself to his right to turn it out for a corner. While supporters were still marvelling at that save, the corner came over and the whole defence stood still as it seemed to swerve straight in at the far post. A real Sunday morning park goal.
But worse was to come five minutes later when the Prescot number 7 found himself totally unmarked from a through ball and jinked the ball past Robertson with the outside of his foot. Two-nil at half time. And it didn't get any better in the second half.
As the rain bucketed down and the pitch got heavier, Prescot's big, strong team adapted way better, although Astley Mulholland found himself clean through at one point, only to drag his shot horribly wide. With the game petering out, Rhodri Giggs – injured for the last few games - made an appearance from the subs bench and had an immediate impact, drawing fouls from the Prescot defence and scoring a neat header before noticing that the flag had been raised for a handball.
But the Giggs factor wasn't enough and a free kick, tamely hit straight to the Prescot goalie in the dying seconds, registered the first proper Salford shot on target in the whole game.
So Prescot and their small travelling showband of nutters took the points back to Merseyside. A well bad day at the office for the Ammies, who will probably go to Halifax next Saturday and stuff the promotion favourites. It's that kind of season.
Next Home Games…
Tues 15th December – Mossley 7:45pm
Sat 19th December - Colwyn Bay 3pm
Tues 22nd December – Radcliffe Borough (Manc Prem Cup) 7:45pm
Sat 26th December – Warrington Town 3pm
All games £7 Adults/£3 cons
And don't forget, at all these games the Salford City club shop will be selling a full range of Ammies goodies – see here for details
Up to date Salford City info available on the Banter section of the Fans Forum
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