Matt Butcher’s last-gasp goal prompted barmy scenes at the Peninsula as Salford City snatched a vital three points after added time.
Karl Robinson’s men left it extraordinarily late to go level on points with visitors Notts County in what may well be a moment that underpins a historic campaign for the Ammies.
Ryan Graydon’s added time header was just the beginning, as Magpies substitute Luke Browne rose highest at the other end to silence the home crowd, and prompting on-pitch antics from the Notts bench.
But enter man of the moment Matt Butcher, who secured his second win in as many games to snatch a memorable victory on home soil, putting Salford in good stead in the promotion dogfight.
The Ammies came into this affair with the wind in their sails, having beaten second-placed MK Dons on this turf a week previously with a statement set of three points secured by Matt Butcher’s stunner just after the hour mark.
With five wins from their last six encounters in the league, Salford were not to be bet against in this top of the tree clash before the first whistle blew, however, they entered the day looking to break a long-sitting duck of never having won five consecutive home matches in the Football League.
Meanwhile the onus was on visitors Notts County to make their mark, being knocked off their automatic promotion perch following Cambridge United’s 1-1 draw with Swindon Town the evening prior.
Dan Udoh’s first-minute opening set the tone for the Ammies in stylish fashion, with everything but his wayward strike looking slick from the off.
It was Princewill Ehibhatiomhan who marauded down the left-hand side on his first Salford start to clip his cross onto the head of Ryan Graydon on the six-yard box, whose deft header was matched only by the frame of the County goal.
His blistering start didn’t stop there, as Rosaire Longelo spun a low cross beyond Ryan Graydon, the former Swindon man, the one to meet it, and his strike was desperately bundled off the line by Jacob Bedeau.
Heaps of positives to take from the opening 20 minutes for the home side – and it seemed as though head coach Karl Robinson’s rallying call in his post MK Dons thoughts was paying dividends at the Peninsula – the highest attendance so far this season certainly making their presence known.
Aside from a spell of Notts County strikes in the space of a couple of seconds to test Ammies’ keeper Matty Young, it was the hosts who would continue to hold the brunt of possession with the interval looming.
This common trope didn’t let up after the break either, it was Irishman Ryan Graydon who infiltrated the backline and swept his effort beyond the far post from the restart, which had a much sunnier look than the drab and dark skies that plagued the first period.
But as the cutting winds returned to taint the flow of proceedings, the tide began to change, with Conor Grant’s piercing drive into the Salford area, which narrowly evaded golden boot contender Alassana Jatta, coming moments before Tom Iorpenda’s cross turned shot came close to catching out Matty Young.
The biggest cry of the day came only minutes later, when Notts County frontman Jatta looked for all the world to have plated up a certain opener at the back post, but Tottenham Hotspur loanee Tyrese Hall spurned his easiest chance of the season with his first touch from the bench to retain the deadlock.
James Belshaw’s late wonder save looked to have snatched a point away from home, after his grasping stop from Rosaire Longelo’s ambitious effort was put to safety.
But Starman Ryan Graydon had been threatening all game long, and he sent the home crowd into bedlam after stealing in at the front post to flick his header beyond the visiting defence.
The points looked all but sealed for the hosts, who saw their jubilation cut short almost instantly when Martin Paterson’s men marched up the other end, where it opened up for fellow Irish national Luke Browne to net his first senior goal, silencing a home crowd which looked unquenchable.
And in a period of added time where taking a moment’s breath was almost impossible, Matt Butcher stepped up to the edge of the box to stick his volleyed effort beyond a sorry Belshaw in goal, and capped off a famous day at the Peninsula stadium.
