(From “Hobson’s choice”, a play by Harold Brighouse)
An early preview this week, as other activities will probably take over between now and Saturday!
Our current successful run (DWWWW) has brought about tangible and intangible outcomes - the obvious tangible result can be seen in the League 2 table which has seen us start December in 16th place looking nervously over our shoulder at the relegation zone, to our present 8th position level on points with the other play-off contenders. On the intangible side there is the mystery of how (and why) the same group of players who were so under-achieving in November can bring about such a transformation. The team spirit will naturally be very high following December’s results, but when you consider that in 3 of December’s games we’ve actually gone behind - it’s a bit like that TSB advert where the graph goes through the roof…
Anyway, on to Salford City as they are now known (originally Salford Central Mission in 1940, changing to Salford Central in 1947, then Salford Amateurs in the 1960’s (hence the nickname “The Ammies”) and finally Salford City in 1989). We played a part in their debut season a year ago when they won 0-3 at Bescot - their first ever away win in the Football League, and as they are currently level with us on 30 points it would be only polite to repeat the gesture and leapfrog over them!!
Players who have appeared for both sides are easily accounted for - a big fat zero (apparently), so we can go straight on to Salford City’s current form:-
December 2nd Carlisle United (A) Lost 2-1
December 5th Barrow (A) Won 0-1
December 12th Cheltenham Town (H) Drew 0-0
December 15th Newport County (H) Drew 1-1
December 19th Harrogate Town (A) Won 0-1
Salford are top of the table in one respect - they have the meanest defence in League 2, having only conceded 14 goals in their 18 games so far. Where scoring is concerned, we are actually ahead of them by a single goal - but we have played one game more…
Prediction? It would be quite an achievement to go a whole month undefeated, but this match doesn’t look as though it will be a goal-fest. A 1-1 draw would certainly keep us in the chasing pack for the play-offs, bearing in mind we have a 2 point cushion immediately beneath us. Let’s see if Scrimaldo can turn it on again!
As welsh said we are the comeback kings . Which in itself fills you with hope if we go behind in this one
3 points and I think we will all be in dream land and give us all some Christmas cheer. Going for 1-1though which would keep us ticking along nicely. Boris the ratter coming on to sniff out the equaliser . UTS
Keeping up the old “we always play well against better opposition” i go for a 2-1 win to the saddlers, they are top of the league so it could be a 3-1 win
Ashley Hemmings doesn’t appear in my source, because (like a couple of players in the Port Vale preview) he didn’t move directly from us to Salford, or reverse. He featured for us 2012-14, and we signed him from The Dingles (he had been on loan to Plymouth Argyle). After his stint with us he moved on to Dagenham & Redbridge. (55 games for us, scoring 3 times btw).
Anyway, you can’t really have Ashley Hemmings, because although he did sign for Salford City in 2018 from Boston United, he never actually played for Salford, moving on very quickly to AFC Fylde.
Still playing, for Kidderminster Harriers at the latest count…
You need to change that bit from “Players who have appeared for both side” to “Players who have transferred directly from one to the other AND made an appearance for both” then!
Need the attack functioning for this one. Salford had a front 4 out last game of Iain Henderson, Ash Hunter, James Wilson and Thomas Asante, three of those easily league one standard so don’t fancy chances of a clean sheet especially given the weakness at left back.
Would be more than happy with a 1-1, fear it will be 2-1 defeat.
To be fair to him he did score two goals and made a fantastic block late on to stop a certain goal
Like all players at this level he is by no means perfect but he always gives 100%
I like Scarr, he’s more than a decent centre back at this level.Yes, he makes mistakes, who on our team (or any other) doesn’t?
Another tough game. No more 3-2 or 4-3, great to watch but not good on the old ticker!
A nice, comfortable 1-0 away win would suffice.
For some reason, for the Tranmere game I did my prediction in verse. A 4-1 defeat, fairly in line with other predictions. We all know what happened there. So I have done the same since then. 4 "poems’ = 4 wins.
So can anyone think of a word that rhymes with “Salford”?
DOH!!!
