Matt Smith’s scrappy purpose gave Salford Town a first-leg win over injury-hit Stockport County within the League Two play-off semi-final.

The guests struggled with out supremacy scorer Kyle Wootton however defended resolutely to provide themselves a combating anticipation in the second one leg.

Stockport keeper Ben Hinchliffe produced an impressive second-half save to disclaim Conor McAleny.

9 years since former Manchester United stars Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt purchased Salford – after a Northern Premier League outfit – the membership are in with an skillful anticipation of promotion to League One.

Their ex-United team-mates Roy Keane and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been in attendance on the Peninsula Stadium.

And David Beckham, some other of United’s ‘Magnificence of 92’, who took a ten% stake in Salford in 2019, would had been happy with the skillful right-wing go via Watt to arrange the purpose.

As Smith grappled with Horsfall and tried to satisfy Watt’s supply with a diving header, it was once concealed whether or not the ball went in by means of the striker’s shoulder or off the Stockport defender.

The purpose was once credited to Smith and got here 72 seconds upcoming Stockport overlooked a shining anticipation to whisk the manage when Ryan Croasdale thumped the rebound towards the bar upcoming Connor Evans’ shot were parried via keeper Alex Cairns.

Shortage of firepower hampers Hatters

Stockport’s restricted attacking choices supposed it was once at all times committing to be a trying out evening for Dave Challinor’s facet.

Winners of the Nationwide League closing generation, and chasing a moment successive promotion, County have loved a superb marketing campaign, had now not misplaced since February, and overlooked out on computerized promotion at the last moment of the ordinary season.

However with Wootton, who has scored 14 targets this time period, having not too long ago been sidelined, skilled ahead Paddy Madden additionally lacking the sport together with fellow attacker Will Collar was once a weighty trifle away. for the Hatters.

Between the two of them the 3 gamers have scored 38 targets this season, so there was once each anticipation the guests would attempt in assault with out them.

That made Croasdale’s leave out the entire extra galling for Stockport – particularly as they conceded on the alternative finish instantly afterwards.

Had he accident the objective instead than the woodwork, the result may had been very other.

Salford, at the alternative hand, had a relentless ultimatum up entrance within the wily Smith.

The previous Leeds, Fulham and QPR goal guy gave Horsfall main issues and put his group inside of visible of a go back and forth to Wembley, the place the winners of the tied will face Carlisle United or Bradford Town.

Salford striker Matt Smith advised BBC Radio Manchester:

“It’s half a job done but it’s going to mean nothing if we don’t put in a good performance at Stockport next Saturday.

“General it’s a lovely night. I assumed within the first 1/2 we have been remarkable and in the second one 1/2 rode the typhoon, so we confirmed two facets to our recreation – an excessively technical, expansive, thrilling efficiency within the first 1/2 and that grit, persona and nous you want to win any recreation we confirmed in plethora in the second one 1/2.

“We now need to set our sights at Stockport. It will be a totally different kind of game, a different atmosphere, so we have to prepare properly and see the job through.

“It’s half-time. It was once a tiring recreation however we’ve a day to get well, which is as a lot cure past as you can get in a ordinary season, so we’ve the chance to get to complete health for then Saturday.”

Stockport boss Dave Challinor told BBC Radio Manchester:

“We would like to be stage or in entrance however we’re now not, so we all know precisely what we want to do then Saturday now.

“You come into these games a little bit into the unknown because there are players out there from our perspective who, because we’ve got experienced players missing, haven’t played in a game of this type before.

“I feel that confirmed within the first 10 mins after we have been very a lot rabbit within the headlights and it took us a slight little bit of past to go away.

“Then we got an opportunity, hit the bar and two minutes later they go up the other end and score what is the decisive goal.

“However there are enough quantity of positives. In the second one 1/2, after we have been in a position to be slightly extra adventurous in relation to our condition and the team of workers we had at the sound, we opened the sport up slightly extra and we had statuses the place we must be higher with our feature and trust in what we’re doing.

“But lots will benefit from the game and if there were any fears going into the game they should have been allayed by what we did in the second half and hopefully that will be the case from the start next Saturday.”