Our first EFL play-off campaign in 15 years gets underway on Saturday, as we go head-to-head with Salford City for a place at Wembley in the League Two Play-Off Final.
Northampton Town’s 1-0 win at Tranmere Rovers on Monday meant automatic promotion could not be achieved for County regardless of our outcome at home to Hartlepool United.
A 1-1 draw at Edgeley Park did secure 4th place for Dave Challinor’s side, earning a home second leg in the semi-final and a tie with Neil Wood’s Salford City.
The Ammies confirmed their place in the top seven on the final day despite losing 1-0 at home to Gillingham, eventually finishing in 7th place – above Mansfield Town by a goal difference margin of just one. In the other semi-final, Carlisle United go up against Bradford City.
Since we last met:
County took four points from our two league meetings with Salford City this season, winning 2-0 at the Peninsula Stadium back in October thanks to goals from Will Collar and Paddy Madden, before drawing 1-1 at a sell-out Edgeley Park just over a month ago.
Callum Hendry’s sensational second-half strike earned a point for the visitors that day, and left the two promotion chasers in 5th and 6th, separated by just one point in County’s favour with seven games left to play.
Salford, now in their fourth season as an EFL club, were looking to reach the play-offs in League Two for the very first time, but defeats in their next two home games to Leyton Orient and Colchester United meant the odds were stacked against them with four games remaining as they dropped down to eighth.
In between those two defeats was a remarkable comeback victory away at AFC Wimbledon, in which they missed a penalty in stoppage time before scoring twice in as many minutes to win 3-2 – the first of three remarkable away wins that ultimately revitalised their campaign.
In their next away game, at Walsall, a ten-man Salford side scored in the 88th minute to go 2-1 up, then conceded a stoppage time equaliser, before going on to grab a stunning winner just a minute later.
Could the drama be repeated in their final away game, against play-off rivals Carlisle United? It certainly could, as despite losing a 2-0 lead late on at Brunton Park, Neil Wood’s side once again struck back immediately to secure a remarkable third consecutive 3-2 away win.
Every single one of those points proved crucial come the final day having lost at home to Gillingham – one more goal for Mansfield in their game at home to Colchester would have seen the Ammies miss out on the play-offs on goals scored.
There will still be concerns about their home record heading into the final day. Salford have lost three of their last four at the Peninsula Stadium, and whilst they finished with the second-best away record in League Two behind Northampton, their home form had them ranked down in 14th.
One to watch:
That stunning strike at Edgeley Park in March formed part of a successful end to the season for Salford forward Callum Hendry, as he hit nine goals in his final 14 games in League Two – having managed three in 25 prior to that run.
The Scottish forward, signed in the Summer for Scottish Premiership side Saint Johnstone, has hit form at the right time for Neil Wood’s side, emerging as top scorer for the side that finished as the joint-sharpest shooters in League Two alongside Mansfield.
Match Stats:
- County have lost just one of the previous seven meetings between the two clubs, winning three and drawing three.
- Having scored two goals in his first 39 appearances for the club, midfielder Callum Camps now has two in his last two.
- Over the last ten games in League Two, County finished top of the form table having picked up 20 points, with Salford just a point behind with 19.
- County finished the season with the second-best defensive record in League Two, having conceded 37 goals – bettered only by champions Leyton Orient
