BRAVE BRAINTREE SUFFER IN ‘FERGIE TIME’
on anxiously from one of the stands in the impressively rebuilt Peninsula Stadium, opened by Sir Alex Ferguson last year.
But just like Ferguson’s teams of old who had late goals in their DNA, Salford snatched a welcome point through a Scholes-lookalike with time running out.
Striker Rory Gaffney, who scored the opening goal after just 50 seconds, struck again with a fierce drive through a packed penalty box.
So maybe Scholes’ prediction that Salford will one day be playing in the Championship doesn’t look so daft after all – not with this never-say-diespirit from manager Graham Alexander’s team.
Alexander (right) said: “Yes, successful sides do score late but they don’t concede too many either. But what I can take out of this game is that we did finish strongly, positively and aggressively.”
A healthy crowd of 2,710 had turned out to watch the latest stage of the journey.
The burger bar might have gone upmarket and the grassy slope once frequented by members of the United Class of ’92 has been usurped by a new stand but it’s still only £10 (£5 concessions) to witness the emergence of another football force just down the road from the two Manchester giants.
Former Scotland international Alexander knows that a four-year contract isn’t any protection if expectations aren’t met.
“Ask any manager in England and ask them if there is pressure,” he said. “Of course there is, it’s the nature of the job. This incredible story started way before I came here and I just want to play my part in the next step of the way. “We are realistic about the work we have to put in place to make it happen. The story is unique so far.” Salford soon discovered that Braintree hadn’t come along for the ride and the Essex boys deservedly equalised just before the break from a Mo Bettamer penalty, prompting a half-time roasting from Alexander who in his playing days knew how to take spot-kicks. But things got worse for the hosts as Bettamer snatched his second after a lightning Braintree break and Reece Grant rattled the bar before Gaffney sealed his double and snatched a point. Scholes would have approved.