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Match Reports

REPORT | Salford City 2 Rovers 2

13 February 2024

Match Reports

REPORT | Salford City 2 Rovers 2

13 February 2024

Rovers collected a second consecutive away point with a battling performance at Salford City.

It proved to be a fiery affair in rain-soaked conditions at the Peninsula Stadium with own goals for each side within a minute of each other ensuring parity at the break.

Hakeeb Adelakun netted for the second straight game to put Rovers ahead in the second half before Luke Garbutt drilled in a late free kick to level for Salford.

Grant McCann made one change from the side that started the weekend win over Tranmere Rovers with Tom Anderson returning to the XI.

Thimothée Lo-Tutala reacted well after an attempted clearance deflected into the path of Junior Luamba, with the keeper mopping up well at the wide man’s feet.

Luamba was involved again moments later, curling in a dangerous cross which Callum Morton headed narrowly wide.

Rovers took the lead on 14 minutes. A superb turn from Luke Molyneux gave him space to hit the byline and drill a low ball into the middle where Tilt turned into his own net.

Within a minute, the hosts were level. Luamba curled the ball to the near post where Callum Hendry looked to move it on only for it to deflect in off the leg of Wood.

Salford enjoyed the more threatening of the attacking play as the half wore on, with Morton clipping narrowly wide as he met a cross from Luke Garbutt while Luamba drew a steady save from Lo-Tutala.

But chances proved hard to come by for both sides with increasingly heavy rain hardly helping the flow of the game.

It took a brilliant blocking save from Lo-Tutala to prevent Matt Smith from giving the hosts the lead in first half stoppage time, with the keeper then punching away under pressure from the resulting corner.

The second half was an ill-tempered affair with little in the way of goalmouth action for long periods.

Rovers took the lead on 71 minutes. Matthew Craig showed tremendous determination on the left to win the ball and then cross into the middle where Adelakun brought it under control and fired into the far corner.

Lo-Tutala got behind a fierce drive from Ryan Watson from the edge of the box but Rovers looked the more dangerous, particularly on the break.

Adelakun found himself racing through on goal but was denied with a brave stop at his feet by Salford keeper Alex Cairns.

The Lincoln City loanee went close again moments later after powering across the pitch and firing narrowly wide from 20 yards.

Rovers had the ball in the back of the net on 84 minutes when Richard Wood met a cross from substitute Harrison Biggins and fired home from close range only to be flagged offside.

Ironside headed narrowly off target moments later but Salford found the equaliser on 89 minutes when Garbutt fired in an excellent free kick from 20 yards.

Lo-Tutala did well to react when Smith diverted a shot from Kelly Nmai deep into stoppage time to ensure a point for Rovers.

Rovers: Lo-Tutala, Sterry, Anderson, Wood, Senior (Maxwell , Bailey, Craig, Molyneux, Adelakun, Waters (Biggins 67), Ironside. Subs not used: Jones, Maxwell, Olowu, Broadbent, Biggins, Rowe, Hurst.

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