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Garry sees red as Ammies slump

31/ 1/2001

NW Counties Div One: Salford City 1 Prescot Cables 6

THIS game was not as one-sided as the final score line might suggest. Table-topping visitors Prescot took full advantage of Salford captain Garry Vaughan's sending off after half an hour of the second half to inflict City's heaviest defeat at Moor Lane for many a season.

The visitors opened the game strongly, obviously looking for an early advantage, which came after 12 minutes when Dave Brown sliced a free kick into his own net.

Cables extended their lead after 27 minutes. City's defence stood off midfielder Peter Holdcroft, allowing him the time to send a shot through a ruck of players. Try as they might to get an early response, Salford's attack frustrated the best crowd of the season at Moor Lane by wandering offside.

Following their half time chat, City had a good opening spell to the second period. Put through by Franny Vaughan, Tony Carroll held off the attentions of two defenders to slot the ball wide of Prescot 'keeper Phil Dahl to reduce the deficit.

Minutes later Vaughan himself brought a good save out of Dahl. In their next surge forward Matty Hughes took the ball past the Cables 'keeper on the edge of the penalty area but his cross-shot went wide of the goalmouth.

Totally against the run of play, Cables stretched their lead on the hour mark. Following a good build-up, a superb 25-yard shot from Kevin Garforth screamed into the top corner past a hapless Melville.

There then followed three crucial moments when the result was virtually sealed. Firstly, not only did Carroll have justified claims for a penalty turned down, the referee booked him for alleged diving.

Next, a tremendous strike from Franny Vaughan rattled the angle of upright and crossbar.

Finally, following a strong tackle, the referee gave Garry Vaughan his marching orders and within three minutes the visitors had hammered another two goals against an over worked home defence.

Substitute Tommy Baker hit number four in a goalmouth scramble and Gary Gensen finished an easy chance for the fifth. The same player completed the scoring when he found himself unmarked at the back post.

This result was certainly a hiccup in Salford's championship aspirations but with 21 fixtures remaining there are still enough points to play for.

City face a series of matches in February in which manager Andy Brown will be expecting his charges to put together a good run of victories. This should get under way at Glossop North End on Saturday, kick off 3pm, followed by Woodley Sports at Moor Lane on Tuesday night (7.45pm).