Salford City 2 Harrogate Town 0: Four in a row a step too far for Sulphurites

Winning for the fourth game in a row – something the Sulphurites last managed in October 2020 – would have been a big achievement for Simon Weaver's men but unfortunately they were not up to the task at Salford City – not be a long chalk.

Two sides with similar fanbases and in the same portion of League Two, Harrogate and the Ammies built a strong rivalry in non-league football but Salford were comfortable winners than the 2-0 scoreline suggested.

Having started strongly, Harrogate ought to have taken an early lead but as soon as Ben Woodburn found the net in the tenth minute, the hosts took a grip of the game they never relinquished. It was a surprise it took more than an hour's more football for Cole Stockton to put the result beyond doubt.

The game was in its second minute when James Daly's volley forced a good save from Matty Young. The goalkeeper did well to deny Jasper Moon from the follow-up but stand-in captain Warren Burrell – playing in midfield – should have snaffled the next rebound.

They would be Harrogate's only shots on target all night.

Former Rotherham United defender Curtis Tilt did well to stop Anthony O'Connor's header finding Josh March but a minute later Salford were ahead and soon after in control.

When Woodburn was on loan at Sheffield United as a teenager he was one of Wales' wonderkids. These days, aged 25, he is more of a wonder-what-happened-to-that-kid.

It was the impressive Tyrese Fornah who created the chance, winning the ball in central midfield and running past Harrogate's right-back Toby Sims before delivering for Woodburn, who finished first time.

Just 10 minutes in it changed the shape of the game completely.

Zico Asante had to be alert to come across and stop Woodburn latching onto a Kylian Kouassi flick-on, but three minutes later he was outmuscling the full-back, only to flash his shot wide.

Next it was Sims who had to get across to stop Woodburn getting on the end of a Fornah pass.

Dean Cornelius and Sims both picked up bookings for the Sulphurites.

Although Salford had two thirds of the ball, they were struggling to work James Belshaw.

Another nearly moment saw Moon pluck a ball out of the air that must have lit Kouasi's eyes up and when Fornah got hold of a shot from distance just after a Kelly Nmai goal was chalked off for offside, the goalkeeper got comfortably behind it.

Belashaw – or perhaps referee Michael Barlow – had an escape five minutes into the second half when the goalkeeper's kick out hit the turned back of Kouassi and spun towards the net.

Belshaw retrieved it just in time but his angry reaction to the referee not penalising the striker for preventing him releasing the ball ensured he got the full treatment from the home fans behind the goal until the final whistle blew.

Again, Salford's players caused him less grief, Luke Garbutt's cut inside and curl over the only chance of note before substitute Stockton settled it.

Harrogate were piling strikers on from the bench by then, including Admiral Muskwe – signed the previous evening – but they had little to work with as the game was far removed from the 112 hardy supporters in the away end.

Stockotn was served up an inviting pull-back from Haji Mnaga and thumped it home emphatically.

"It's all your fault!" gloated Belshaw's fan club.

Salford had chances for a third, a Nmai shot deflecting just wide and Belshaw tipping over from Matthew Lund.

Glamorous FA Cup ties await both sides in the new year. "Are you watching Sheikh Mansour?" asked the cheeky away fans (I am going to stick my neck out and say the Manchester City chairman was not).

But as both these clubs have discovered in the last few years, Football League life is more about slogging through the hard yards than glamour trips to Elland Road or Eastlands. Without Salford’s celebrity backing Harrogate do not quite have the stamina to do it game in, game out.

Money Talks played over the tannoy at full-time. The visitors did not need telling.

Salford City: Young; Mnaga, Shephard (Jones 57), Tilt, Garbutt; Lund (McAlney 89), Ashley, Fornah, Nimai (Berkoe 89); Kouassi, Woodburn (Stockton 63).

Unused substitutes: Edwards, Taylor, Luamba.

Harrogate Town: Belshaw; Sims; O'Connor, Moon, Asare; Duke-McKenna (Nto 75), Cornelius, Burrell, J Daly (M Daly 67); Muldoon (Folarin 57), March (Muskwe 57).

Unused substitutes: Oxley, Foulds, Falkingham.

Referee: M Barlow (Bolton).