Salford City attacker Kelly N’mai is “confident” his side will progress to the League Two play-off final after their battling 2-1 win at Grimsby Town in the semi-final first leg.
The 22-year-old said he was worried the Ammies had a “long day” in store when Grimsby fullback Reece Staunton scored with a wonderful long-range volley after just 26 seconds.
But Salford bounced back from conceding the fastest goal in play-off history through Kallum Cesay’s composed finish after four minutes.
The Ammies controversially took the lead five minutes before the break when Adebola Oluwo headed a Luke Garbutt corner past goalkeeper Jackson Smith, who appeared to be unsighted by offside Haji Mnoga.
Despite the protestations from Grimsby players, staff and fans inside an incensed Blundell Park, the goal stood and tenacious second-half defending saw Salford leave with a narrow advantage heading into the second leg on Friday.#
“We started 1-0 down after just 20 seconds, so to come away with a 2-1 win is a real positive,” N’Mai said, smiling in the Cleethorpes sunshine after his longest outing since being forced off injured 16 minutes into Salford’s 3-1 defeat at Grimsby in March.
“I didn’t know their first goal had gone in, and then we are 1-0 down and you think it is going to be a long afternoon. But we scored not long after and it felt like a fresh start for both teams. Whoever takes the next goal and wins it here goes home with the advantage, and we did that.”
Any questions that may have arisen about N’mai’s durability after a lengthy injury lay-off were put to rest as he fought for second balls throughout, persevering to win the corner from which Salford scored the winning goal, when the attack looked like a lost cause.
“I played 60 minutes and it was the hardest 60 minutes I have played,” he said. “I felt like I couldn’t breathe.”
N’Mai spent months on the treatment table alongside Cesay, who also returned from a lengthy lay-off against Crawley, and described his teammate as a “very weird” athlete as the goalscorer lasted the entire game.
“He’s very weird. I don’t know how he does it, but he could be out for a year or two and come back and play 90.
“He’s unbelievable. He doesn’t stop running, going forward and backwards. He’s best mentally and is one of my favourite players to play with at the club right now.”
N’mai said he is confident in Salford’s chances ahead of Friday night’s semi-final showdown at the Peninsula Stadium, but hopes for the “calmest game” after the chaotic, breathless and controversy-strewn first leg.
“For the neutrals or anyone watching a similar game to today would be entertaining,” he said. “But as a Salford player, I hope it’s the calmest game and wouldn’t mind a 0-0.”
Kelly pays tribute to our travelling fans 🧡
🎟️ Get your ticket for Friday’s second leg: https://t.co/LIoPjtYyhF pic.twitter.com/635PymgYjC
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) May 11, 2026
“It’s been a long season. The lads have worked really hard and to miss out on the final day where we had loads of chances, everyone was angry.
“The lads have worked really hard and to miss out on the final day where we had loads of chances, everyone was angry.
To do it at Wembley would probably be better than finishing third, but you’ve got to do it.”
Salford City will aim to book their place in the League Two play-off final on Friday night, 7:15pm kick-off.
