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Squires Gate 0 Salford City 1

Frank McCauley
10/ 1/2008

AN UNDER-strength Salford City side emerged unscathed from a tricky tie on the Fylde Coast on Saturday to stay joint top of the Vodkat first division table.

The only disappointment was that title rivals and fellow North West County League leaders Newcastle Town beat Abbey Hey by the same score.

Injuries and illnesses forced Salford manager Gary Fellows into making a number of changes on Saturday.

With Jon Robinson and Lathan Forrester both carrying knocks, City started with a five-man midfield and had Tommy Turner ploughing a lonely furrow as the out and out striker.

And it was Turner’s eye for goal which ended mid-table Squires Gate’s unbeaten home record. He shot on the turn past home keeper Ryan Yeomans after 65 minutes.

A cold, gusting wind made conditions difficult for both teams and while Salford started brightly it was Gate who almost snatched a 20th minute lead when Matthew Muscroft rattled the visitors’ crossbar with a strong drive from the edge of the box.

Ten minutes later the home side’s Chris Farrar failed to connect properly with the ball in front of Salford’s goal following some weak defensive challenges.

City stepped up their determination to maintain their unbeaten away record after the interval. Yeomans saved well from Kenny Tudor and Simon Myerscough forced the home keeper into an error minutes before Turner’s goal.

At the other end, the pace of Gate substitute Steve Hibbert caused problems for the Salford defence but, with Tudor having picked up an injury, Rick Watson once again put in a sterling performance at the back.

With time running out, Gate threw everything into their attack.

Salford’s Andy Robertson denied Dave Hankin with a fine block before the keeper rode his luck when the home side claimed that he had handled the ball outside of his penalty area.

City host lowly Atherton LR at Moor Lane on Saturday, January 12, kick-off 3pm, hoping for a win to kick-start an improvement in home results in 2008.

The game represents the last chance for Salford City fans to put their names down for the coach to next week’s FA Carlsberg Vase tie at Coventry Sphinx.