Salford City’s League Two campaign culminated in an entertaining 2-2 draw against Harrogate Town.
In an action-packed first half at the Peninsula Stadium, Salford twice took the lead only to be pegged back by the visiting side.
Callum Hendry gave the Ammies an early advantage before Harrogate Town levelled mid-way through the half. Ryan Watson left his goal of the season submission until the final day, the veteran midfielder rolled back the years to restore Salford’s lead with an acrobatic volley moments after conceding. However, the Sulphurites were not to be denied a point on their travels, Will Foulds scored the game’s fourth and final goal on the stroke of halftime.
Karl Robinson made two changes to the team fielded in The Ammies’ 1-0 victory against Newport last weekend. Fresh off the back of his late winner in Wales, top goal scorer Matt Smith was reintroduced into the starting fold alongside Junior Luamba. Matthew Lund and Connor Mclennan returned to the bench.
Salford City built upon a strong end to the Newport game, and started with a similar high intensity in the opening stages. The side took the early initiative and were rewarded for their fast start after just five minutes when attacker Callum Hendry glanced home Luke Garbutt’s well-flighted corner.
However, characteristic of the club’s disappointingly inconsistent season, Salford would not remain in the ascendancy for long. In the 27th minute, Harrogate restored parity. Abraham Odoh rounded off a slick team move sweeping the ball low past Alex Cairns.
But the visitors’ celebrations were to be short-lived. Midfielder Ryan Watson produced a moment of magic to reinstate the Ammies lead. Although the fixture had no bearing on the top or the bottom of the League Two table, Watson’s scissor-kick from range ensured that the game would stick in the memory.
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— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) April 27, 2024
Luke Garbutt’s freekick from the right was repelled by the Harrogate defence as far as Watson who rifled the ball past goalkeeper James Belshaw from the edge of the box.
Back in the ascendancy, but not for long. Karl Robinson’s team underestimated the ability of talented left-back Matty Foulds. Up for a Harrogate Town corner, Foulds broke free of his static marker at the front post and skilfully diverted the ball into the far corner of Cairns’ goal.
Buoyed by their positive end to the first half, Harrogate began the second period on the front foot. The Yorkshire-based team started to assert their dominance in midfield and would threatened to take the lead on 50 minutes.
Cairns denied Harrogate captain George Thompson and forward Jack Muldoon in quick succession, both saves were equally impressive. First, the Ammies’ shot stopper blocked Thompson’s volley from point-blank range, getting up to tip Muldoon’s curling follow-up around the post.
Both sides pushed forward in search of a winner but failed to find a breakthrough.
Salford City fans will be happy to see the back of a dismal 23/24 campaign. Head Coach Karl Robinson has promised significant change for next season if this is to be the end for some of the Ammies’ key players in recent years, today’s entertaining 2-2 draw was a positive conclusion to their time at the club.
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