When Salford City take to the field at Moor Lane at 3pm today they will know that this is one of the most crucial games since the Class of ’92 and their Singaporean billionaire friend Peter Lim took over the club.
Since the takeover their opponents Darlington 1883 have matched The Ammies blow for blow.
Last season the phoenix club for the former football league side were title rivals; this campaign they’re vying for promotion again.
This time last year The Ammies were in a similar situation when The Quakers came to town.
They were behind in the league and facing a must-win encounter if they wanted to keep their hopes of automatic promotion alive.
It’s only fitting that with both clubs having outside shots of snatching the league title from Blyth Spartans that they meet again.
This time last year Salford came out 2-0 winners, and a result similar to that would give them much more of a say in where the Evo-Stik Premier division lands, although co-manager Anthony Johnson does not believe it will be an easy encounter.
Speaking to the club Johnson stated: “They hadn’t lost in 16 when we beat them last season so the amount of games that they’re unbeaten becomes redundant in such situations; we know that we have to win to keep putting pressure on all of the teams around us,”.
Bad weather hasn’t helped their league campaign, since Salford last played Ramsbottom last Tuesday, promotion rivals Blyth, Workington, an Darlington have all won games, even with the benefit of a week long break for the players, the Northumberland outfit will prove to be a stern test for The Ammies.
If Darlington make the trip back north with all three points; Salford will start to become pressured to maintain their play-off place.
Stourbridge represent their only challenge in the league, having a game in hand on Salford, and trailing by seven points; it would take a herculean effort from The Glassboys to enter the playoff race so late into the campaign.
However, should they beat a Colwyn Bay side fighting for their premier division survival it would put them in a position to capitalise on any team that slips up this weekend.
The Ammies don’t have that big of a points cushion at this stage like the top two do, and with the midlands outfit having a game in hand; Salford need to make sure it’s not themselves who slip up.
Stopforth out; Poole and Burton in
Gary Stopforth will start his suspension after being sent of in The Ammies 2-0 win over Buxton. Brought in by Johnson and Bernard Morley from Ramsbottom united, despite Stopforth not being the most disciplined player at the club; his influence in midfield will be missed.
The Ammies will be boyed by the return of James Poole however, who is set to start after using the break to tend to the knee injury that has kept him out for most of January; Scott Burton also looks set to return from illness.
Darlington look set to debut new signing Liam Hardy, who has been in scintillating form for Buxton this season, and Lee Gaskell will be reunited with his former Ramsbottom managers and team mates if picked for tomorrow’s encounter.
Main image by Charlotte Tattersall (@SalfordFCPhotos)
