Star January signing Ryan Graydon continued to flex his goalscoring muscles as his quickfire opener saw Salford take the share of the points against Bristol Rovers.
Karl Robinson’s men propelled themselves into second place in League Two and extended their unbeaten run to an impeccable 10 matches with a deserved home win over an uninspired Rovers side.
Kelly N’Mai’s lasered strike over the bar looked an early let off for the visitors, after Kallum Cesay broke away and slipped in the Dutchman with just five minutes gone.
But there’s almost no stopping Ryan Graydon at the moment, as the January recruit continued his shining start and waltzed behind the Rovers’ backline to calmly dispatch his first chance of the match with eight minutes played.
Salford remained on the front foot in the opening ten, as a culmination of Kelly N’Mai’s relentless pressure tying in with Graydon’s penetrative presence caused plenty of issues for the Gas.
In stark contrast to his first finish, the Irish frontman squandered a heaven-sent opportunity minutes later, as Kelly N’Mai did the dirty work to pickpocket Jack Sparkes, before Rovers stopper Brad Young got down sharply to deny his fizzing effort, setting up Graydon to fluff his lines on the rebound.
A pop shot on the edge of the box from Shaqai Forde whistled over the bar soon after, and a message with it that The Gas had no intent to lay down and die amid missed Salford chances.
And this wouldn’t spell the end of the Pirate’s pressure as the first half ticked on, as January signing Kofi Balmer’s long throw threat gave the Ammies a thing or two to think about.
And it would be the visitors who would come out swinging following the restart, after a triple change from the Rovers bench inspired some forward venture. Ryan De Havilland’s blocked drive found itself at the feet of Sparkes’ in the channel, who plated up Ellis Harrison’s glancer just shy of the post.
A lack-lustre second period was host to an array of scrappy challenges as tensions began to rise to a boil, a real spectacle for any of English football’s puritans in attendance.
It was Jorge Grant who fell to a bundle of legs just before the 6 yard-box, and looked in dismay at referee Simon Mather, who waved away any suggestions of a spot kick to the disgruntled Salford faithful.
Minutes later however, Brandon Cooper saw lights flash before his eyes with ten minutes from time, after Irishman Graydon’s layoff bounced inches too high for a convicted strike, all before the frontman continued to add to his shots tally for the afternoon; rising highest to the resulting corner to rifle one past the stanchions.
Luke Garbutt’s late Free Kick gave stand-in Rovers keeper Brad Young a split second scare, as his effort looked to bend beyond his reach before forcing a corner kick.
The Ammies closed out a relatively drab affair with a storm of strikes against the Bristol net, including edge of the box blazes from Kallum Cesay and Jorge Grant, which were both subdued by the frame of former Premier League captain Tom Lockyer.
Salford now sit six points behind league leaders Bromley with a game in hand after the ravens stole all three points late on in their clash with FA Cup fall guys Swindon Town, and a midweek test against Chesterfield awaits next for a flying Ammies at the Peninsula.
