Manchesterfootball.info pays a visit to the Peninsula Stadium to watch Salford City against Barrow, a clash that had ramifications at either end of Sky Bet League Two.
SALFORD CITY 1, BARROW 0
Ian Henderson, one of the lower division’s most prolific marksmen, seized on a charitable act to propel Salford City back into the promotion play-off places.
The 36-year-old striker’s 171st career goal, which helped the Ammies defeat Barrow, will be one of the simplest.
Henderson made it 11 for the season as he latched on to a wayward back pass from Bobby Thomas. And with goalkeeper Joel Dixon on the opposite side of the goal, it was a straightforward slot into an empty net.
The goal, scored just short of the half hour, proved the decisive moment of the match as Salford followed up their 4-1 win against leaders Cambridge United last time out with back-to-back victories secured.
And while the match was far from a spectacle, more scrappy and disjointed, as manager Richie Wellens will be striving for consistency as before the latest two wins, they had won only once in six games with their form erratic.
This was only the fourth time in the current campaign they have won two games in a row as they have never had three straight victories.
“This team has never won three on the bounce since we came into the league and we want to set a record on Saturday,” explained Wellens whose side climbed from ninth to fourth in one night.
“We are not like Manchester City in being able to roll over teams every week.
“We like to turn it on like the 4-1 win against Cambridge in our previous match but, when we aren’t able to do that, we need to be able to grind out six or seven 1-0 scores during the season.”
Wellens thought his side was mentally tired as a result of a punishing fixture schedule but was pleased how his side ground out the last 20 minutes.
Barrow, back in the EFL for the first time since 1972, had a big chance to win and climb out of the bottom two midway through the second half when Luke James was brilliantly denied by goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
They finished the game strongly as it was the Ammies having to defend resolutely in the latter stages
But if Michael Jolly’s side continues to play with such spirit they will give themselves a fighting chance of staying up as there was little separating the two teams on the evidence of this game.
“There was nothing in the game and not a clear chance for each team and it was decided by one individual mistake,” he said.
“There were a lot of positives and stayed in the game until the death. There were a lot of aspects of our play I liked.
“At the end of the day we came away empty handed despite a decent performance.”