Memories of Salford City’s National League promotion season will be rekindled on Saturday when they visit Barnet for the first time in seven years.
Goals from Rory Gaffney, Tom Walker and Mark Shelton saw The Ammies come back from a goal down to win 3-1 against tough opponents on a cold midweek night in London in 2018.
That October evening, Graham Alexander’s men hinted at promotion to the Football League, a promise kept seven months later with Salford’s 3-0 play-off final victory over Fylde at Wembley.
Salford’s trip to Barnet this Saturday may provide another indicator of how the team’s season will play out.
The Ammies have dramatically fought back from behind to win 4-3 in consecutive home matches and sit sixth in a congested League Two, only four points off the automatic promotion places.
In the aftermath of Salford’s late victory over Colchester, head coach Karl Robinson praised the attitude of his “wonderful” players and their ability to “stand up as a group and accept the challenge.”
But Salford’s away form is not what it needs to be if they are going to contend for automatic promotion to League One this season – and getting his side to grind out wins on the road looks to be Robinson’s toughest task.
The Ammies have the 13th best away form in the fourth tier and will have to improve on their travels to be serious contenders this season.
Given that newly promoted Barnet are the seventh-worst side at home, Saturday is a prime opportunity for Salford to continue a strong spell of form and begin to get their stuttering away campaign up and running.
But the Bees boast a host of quality players, including former Peterborough, Nottingham Forest, and Middlesbrough star Britt Assombalonga, who has scored over 50 Championship goals.
Salford will hope to nullify the threat the flying forward poses as they travel to the Hive to face Barnet on Satuday 20 December, 3pm kick-off.
