STEVENS SAVES ROCKY ROVERS
ROB Edwards refused to panic after his side went a fifth game without victory.
Matty Stevens equalised in the second half for the leaders after Matt Smith’s early goal for Salford.
Rovers boss Edwards said: “The performance was really pleasing but were disappointed to go a goal down again early on.
“They’re a real threat and Smith is a real danger which is something we highlighted. It’s difficult to stop when they get it right.
“The reaction we showed for the 85 minutes after the goal was excellent, so I’m really pleased with what we’ve shown on a difficult pitch.
“I felt that we deserved to win it, but we didn’t. I think we showed a lot of good stuff and on another day we could’ve [won].
“We’ve got to focus on the next game, keep training the way we do and continue doing what’s got us in to this position.”
Rovers controlled the opening stages, but it was the home side that opened the scoring against the run of play in the seventh minute.
The Ammies turned defence in to attack after a Jack Aitchison effort was collected by Tom King. The hosts moved the ball through midfield quickly and a floated cross from the right-hand side was met by Smith who nodded home for his second goal in a Salford shirt.
The second half started slowly but in the 52nd minute the visitors levelled the scoring through Stevens. A cross field ball found full back Kane Wilson in plenty of space who flashed the ball across the six-yard box and Stevens converted.
The remainder of the second half was played on a knife’s edge with both sides pushing for a winner and finding plenty of openings, the biggest of which fell to Rovers forward Jamile Matt inn the 90th minute. A long ball forward met the striker, who got behind Jordan Turnbull to find himself one-on-one with Tom King. However, Turnbull made a superb last-ditch recovery challenge, prompting penalty appeals from Rovers which were ignored by referee Declan Bourne. Gary Bowyer’s side held the table-toppers in his 50th game in charge of the Ammies. He said: “We made a terrific start, it’s a wonderful goal from a great cross but I didn’t feel that we put enough pressure on their goal.
“We were disappointed with the manner of the goal we conceded. There was a very strong hint of offside.
“We’ve got to give Matt Smith those opportunities and I thought we did at times today; he’s terrorised defences in the Championship and we’re delighted for him.
“I thought Theo Vassell was terrific, but I’m not sure why he was booked. “The officials weren’t good enough today, nowhere near the standard.”