Salford City 0-1 Gillingham: Ammies seal play-off spot despite defeat
- Published
- comments
Cheye Alexander's penalty gave Gillingham victory at Salford on the final day
Salford City edged into the League Two play-offs on goal difference despite defeat by Gillingham on the final day of the league season.
With Mansfield leading at Colchester, the two teams were level on points but the Stags could only find one of the two extra goals they needed to steal seventh place on goals scored, with Salford players anxiously huddling around a mobile phone after the final whistle to check the score at the JobServe Community Stadium.
The Ammies began the day knowing a draw would be good enough to stave off Mansfield's challenge to their top-seven status, against a team that secured their Football League safety last month.
The game seemed to be petering out until Salford conceded a penalty for a foul on substitute Lewis Page, and fellow replacement Cheye Alexander confidently drove it into the top corner.
But Salford clung on to seventh and will face a Greater Manchester derby against fourth-placed Stockport in the play-off semi-finals, with the first leg at Peninsula Stadium on Saturday.
Salford made most of the running in the first half with Stevie Mallan and Louie Barry both missing chances, but the Gills had enough threat to keep the home side on their toes.
News that Mansfield had taken the lead at Colchester just before half-time heightened nerves at Moor Lane but the second half had an end-of-season feel to it and seemed to be meandering to a draw.
Gills keeper Jake Turner took centre stage as Salford pressed for the goal that would make certain of their play-off place, saving well from Matt Smith and Conor McAleny, while Mallan dipped another free-kick narrowly over the bar.
Two substitutes combined to make the breakthrough for the Gills, with Page winning the penalty and Alexander converting it.
That gave the Kent side a positive end to a season in which they fought back from being six points adrift at the bottom in January to finish 17th, 12 points clear of relegation.