Final day déjà vu struck again for Salford City as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Crawley Town at the rainy Broadfield Stadium.
Despite hitting the bar twice, having an appeal for a penalty controversially turned down and pressing until the seven minutes of added time were up, Karl Robinson’s men failed to exorcise the ghosts of their chastening final day draw at Carlisle United 12 months ago.
The goalless draw saw relegation-threatened Crawley survive as rivals Harrogate Town slipped to a 2-1 loss at home to Barnet and Cambridge United were promoted in third place following their 0-0 draw at Crewe.
Salford will have to go through the play-offs if they are to achieve promotion from League Two at the seventh time of asking and will face Grimsby Town over two legs in the semi-finals.
The travelling fans, a picture of colour dressed as bananas, pirates and carrots behind the goal away goal watched through their fingers as Matt Butcher cannoned a volley off the crossbar, referee Lee Swabey waved away claims for a spot-kick for a misjudged challenge from behind on Daniel Udoh and towering centre-back Adebola Oluwo had a header heroically pushed onto the bar by Crawley goalkeeper Jacob Chapman.
Buoyed by the news that their relegation rivals Harrogate had fallen behind after just five minutes, Crawley went close to opening the scoring when Louie Copley fired at Salford goalkeeper Matty Young.
Shaken into action by Crawley’s early pressure, Ryan Graydon headed a corner wide before Matt Butcher fired off target as Salford grew into the contest.
The Ammies were inches from taking a deserved lead after 27 minutes when, after centre-back Adebola Oluwo had a header cleared off the line, Matt Butcher rattled the crossbar with a sweetly struck volley from the edge of the box.
Crawley responded as first-half substitute Taylor Richards flashed a wild drive wide from the corner of the box and went into halftime following a period of sustained pressure.
Salford improved markedly after the break and missed a golden chance to take the lead when after 50 minutes Olowu struck at Chapman with the goal at his mercy.
Karl Robinson’s men piled on the pressure but had to wait until the 77th minute for another clear-cut chance, as Olowu had a powerful downward header touched onto the bar.
Daniel Udoh fired wide from Kelly N’Mai’s teasing cross as Salford probed two minutes later, but no matter how much the 500-plus travelling fans willed for a goal that would earn The Ammies promotion to the third-tier for the first time, it would not come.
Robinson, who stood motionless for a moment when the final whistle blew, before retreating as thousands of jubilant Crawley fans poured onto the pitch upon full time, will hope this low will be long forgotten when the play-off final rolls around at the end of May.
