Salford City will hope to get their season back on track when they face Chorley FC at victory Park tomorrow (Kick-off 17:45 BST).
Despite their impressive start to the league campaign, The Ammies have slipped back due to conceding a last minuite equaliser against FC Halifax Town last Tuesday, and rounding off last week with a defeat to Kidderminster Harrier in a game Salford deserved to lose.
Although it was their first loss of the season, it was the manner in which the club was defeated that causes concern.
Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley’s men were controlled by Kiddy for around 80 of the 90 minutes.
Despite the former of the dynamic duo barnstorming about the performance of their defence after going a man down; up front there was no sense of the ruthlessness in attack that has come to typify Salford since the class of 92 took over.
The concern now is that Kidderminster manager John Eustace has cracked the code; wait for Salford’s central midfield to overcommit to an attack, and then hammer The Ammies on the counter.
Ironically, the exact seam system Johnno and Morley used to dominate the Evo-Stik league’s.
It is also an idea Chorley manager Garry Flitcroft will hope to exploit as they find themselves in a similar position to The Harriers going into tomorrow’s game.
Like Kiddy last week, The Magpies are in the bottom half of the top ten, and could move into a play-off spot with victory.
Chorley are also the only team besides The Harriers to concede less than ten goals so far this league campaign, and also possess an equally menacing defence.
The Magpies picked up Scott Leather from Altrincham after their relegation who has been nothing short of a revelation since joining from The Robins, a fact made disturbingly clear for Alty fans who have witnessed their team conceded 29 league goals after the centre half left the club.
Meanwhile, Salford’s main man in defence Simon Grand will be available due to the defender still awaiting his three match suspension for his sending off on Saturday.
However Grand who even before getting sent off struggled with the pace of Kiddy’s attack will have to put in a more disciplined and controlled performance if Salford are to walk away winners tomorrow night.
