Salford City’s losing run extended to five games as they were beaten 2-1 by an in-form Shrewsbury Town, despite being a goal ahead.
The Ammies found their breakthrough on the stroke of half-time, as Ryan Graydon’s poked effort was saved by Matthew Cox onto his own defender Luca Hoole, whose failed clearance hit the post before rolling into the back of the net.
Shrewsbury found their equaliser not long after the restart, as Tom Sang fired a venomous effort into the bottom-right corner, via a slight deflection.
The visitors completed their turnaround late on, as centre-back Will Boyle lashed home from close range to send the away end wild.
Both teams came into this game in differing form, with Salford losing four out of their last four in all competitions and their opponents winning four of their first six games under new manager Gavin Cowan, who had former Manchester City and Shrewsbury goalkeeper Joe Hart on his coaching staff for the evening.
In a first half of little quality, Salford certainly had the better chances. On 10 minutes, Ossama Ashley, who captained the Ammies for the first time tonight, was urged to shoot by the crowd and fired just wide of the post.
Officially captain for the first time Šī¸
Congratulations @_1oashley đ pic.twitter.com/bBwBfELFU1
â Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) February 24, 2026
Jorge Grant had two early chances, first failing to find either corner and firing straight at Cox, after some great work from Kelly Nmai. The midfielder connected cleanly with a volley not long after, but struck well wide.
Then, on the stroke of half-time, calamitous defending from the visitors allowed Salford to take the lead. After an initial scramble, Alfie Dorrington helped the ball back in to Ryan Graydon, who stabbed a tame effort towards goal, which Cox parried onto Hoole, who got himself in a complete mess, turning into his own net via the post.
The Shrews started the second half like a different team and found their response five minutes after half-time. Salford switched off after Mal Benning’s wayward effort looked to be going out. The ball was kept in play and crossed in before finding its way to Sang on the edge of the box, whose well-struck effort took a slight nick on its way into the bottom right corner.
Ryan Graydon had a big chance five minutes later and worked some space on the right wing, but fired his effort into the side-netting, trying to catch Cox out at his near post.
Matty Young kept the Ammies in the game on the hour mark, as the ball fell to Tommy McDermott on the edge of the penalty area, whose low effort looked destined for the bottom corner before a heroic fingertip save from Young diverted it behind.
Salford had two huge opportunities to edge in front minutes later, as first Josh Austerfeld’s header hit the crossbar, before substitute Ben Woodburn fired an effort towards goal which almost found its way in off a Shrewsbury defender again.
Shrewsbury found their winner 14 minutes from time, as Benning’s cross fell to an unmarked Boyle, whose strong left-footed strike nestled inside the near post past Young.
Salford went close to salvaging a point in the dying stages, as Graydon and Brandon Cooper both missed headed chances, before Kelly Nmai was denied a shooting opportunity due to a last-ditch challenge from substitute Thomas Anderson.
The result makes it five losses in a row for Salford in all competitions, leaving them 8th in League Two, one point off the playoff places with two games in hand.
The Ammies travel to 11th-placed Colchester City this weekend, who they memorably beat 4-3 earlier in the season.
