By Will Moorcroft
Salford City travel to local rivals Radcliffe Borough today, hoping to build upon their current best run of form this season (Kick Off 15:00).
Five consecutive wins have managed to keep The Ammies at the top of the table as the title race gets closer and closer to the final day, and joint manager Bernard Morley understands the situation, and just how close it is at the top.
“It’s going to be the first one who slips up that wins it.”
“You’ve got to pay credit where credit’s due; the lads have been brilliant, they’ve bought into everything we’re about, again another clean sheet against a good side who score goals.”
It’s no coincidence how the up-turn in form has not only come with the appointment of Morley and Anthony Johnson, but the return of goalkeeper Jay Lynch has also played a massive part with Salford keeping seven clean sheets in 10 games since his return, and losing just one of those.
That kind of form is the only way Salford could have got themselves back in the running after falling off the pace in November, and it would be unfair to say it hasn’t been intimidating to other teams around the top.
For Radcliffe it is a different story, with just two wins and a draw in 14 league matches this year, and they find themselves six points above the relegation zone, although New Mills do have a game in hand.
Their run-in became much harder too on the weekend after their match at Ossett Town was abandoned in the 85th minute after a serious injury to Reece Welsh on his club debut, who is also a former Ammies player.
What effect that will have on the team remains to be seen after they were visibly distraught by what happened, but both sets of fans will be keen for him to make a good recovery, with wishes from other clubs and fans also being paid on social media.
But there will be little time for sentiment on the pitch as former Borough player Morley returns to Stainton Park with his Salford side, who haven’t lost on their last five visits.
In fact, just to make it interesting for the statisticians, the last time Salford last to Radcliffe was seven meetings ago (W3, D3), on Easter Monday in 2012; now there’s some chocolate for thought!
Team News
Cavell Coo’s four match suspension is over which puts him back in contention after a few players picked up knocks against Spennymoor on Saturday, but Paul Linwood still has one match to serve.
Former Borough Player of the Year, Steve Howson, should be ok after a knock on Saturday, but Jordan Hulme faces a fitness test after missing out at the weekend through injury.
Radcliffe will be without Welsh as they wait to find out the extent of his injury, although he is in a stable condition with his leg in plaster.
