SLICK CITY PUT POOR MAGPIES TO THE SWORD

SALFORD City produced a blistering first half display to blow away hosts Maidenhead United and move top of the National League.

The Ammies netted twice in as many minutes midway through the first half, with Scott Wiseman surging forward from right-back to slot home their first in the 26th minute, and Adam Rooney looping home his ninth goal of the season a minute later.

A third followed from substitute Devante Rodney in the 90th minute after the Magpies valiant second half fight-back went unrewarded.

From the outset the home side were all at sea, chasing shadows as Salford poured forward. Rory Gaffney chested wide from Danny Lloyd’s cross after ten minutes before Wiseman made the breakthrough, exchanging passes with Gaffney in the box before slotting home on 26 minutes.

The Magpies barely had chance to draw breath before falling further behind. This time Lloyd whipped in another devilish cross from the left which Rooney stretched to touch over the advancing Carl Pentney.

Magpies boss Alan Devonshire responded by withdrawing the ineffectual James Comley and Herson Alves for James Akintunde and Chinua Cole and, from that moment on, the Magpies were better balanced.

Salford changed their approach after half-time, looking to shore up the three points and although the Magpies created some opportunities, they were generally well contained. Christian Smith headed wide from a 52nd-minute corner, while Ayo Obileye was unfortunate to see his close range volley blocked a minute later. Josh Kelly had a quite afternoon thanks to the excellent Nathan Pond. But Kelly might have changed the course of the game in the 70th minute when he fired wide under pressure after Akintunde did well to pick him out after a surging run. After that the game petered out but there was still time for Salford to rub salt in the wounds when Gaffney brought the ball down and teed up Rodney for their third. Salford boss Graham Alexander reflected: “The first 35 minutes we were excellent. I couldn’t see a fault in the performance. But I just felt at 2-0 we just came off it a little bit and became a little bit sloppy. “When our subs came on though I thought we shored up the game and saw the game our well.” A disappointed Devonshire moaned: “We were really poor. That’s the worst 45 minutes we’ve had. They’re a good side but we didn’t get close. We didn’t play with intensity and I felt we let ourselves down.” STAR MAN: Nathan Pond (Salford) ATT: 1,726 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Simeon Lucas 6/10