It was a dramatic afternoon in new boss Karl Robinson’s first game in charge of Salford City, with a Ryan Watson penalty rescuing a point in the last minute.
The game started rapidly with Salford looking sharp and hungry right from the off.
It only took four minutes for Matt Smith to net his 15th league goal of the season, after Elliot Watt swung in a dangerous delivery into the box.
WHAT A STARTTT!!! 💪 pic.twitter.com/nMI2UsM5ke
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 6, 2024
The 6’6 frontman towered over the Forest Green defenders to direct his header back across the goalkeeper leaving Luke Daniels stranded.
Karl Robinson was dismissed just 15 minutes into his tenure as boss for not allowing the away side to take a quick throw-in. He stood in the players’ way, causing some pushing and shoving between some coaches and players, before being given his marching orders by Charles Breakspear
Salford’s tempo faded once the 43-year-old was sent off with Forest Green getting back into the game and looking a threat.
The away side then equalised on the stroke of halftime as Salford’s troubled defence conceded again.
Forest number nine Matty Stevens was fouled, with an advantage played that was seized by Charlie McCann who drove into the box and finished calmly past a fully stretched Alex Cairns.
The second half started much in the same way for Salford as they looked re-energised, Rovers’ resilient defending holding the Ammies at bay.
Despite a few chances for both sides including a goalmouth scramble in the Salford penalty box, the game looked to be finished at 1-1 until Rovers took the lead upon 70 minutes.
Matty Stevens controlled a cross the then sent his effort into the top right-hand corner in what was a great finish for his 8th goal of the season.
It looked like all three points would go to the Gloucestershire side until the 90th minute when again chaos ensued.
Desperate defending from Rovers resulted in Salford being awarded a penalty after a poor challenge by centre-half Ryan Inniss.
A fight then ensued which saw both Inniss and Ammies defender Adrian Mariappa sent off after the pair received their second bookings of the match.
The penalty was calmly put away by Ryan Watson into the top right. The midfielder salvaged a priceless point late on for the Ammies as they looked to overturn their dreadful run of form.
Karl Robinson was the happier manager at full time as it seemed like two points were lost for the away side.
Salford remain in 21st place in League Two, with the newly appointed Ammies boss now able to coach his team ahead of their visit to Crawley Town next weekend.
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