Salford City secured a dramatic late equaliser in their EFL Trophy Group North opener against Accrington ST on Tuesday. The match finished 1-1 after a frantic finale that saw four penalties converted in stoppage time, with Luke Garbutt’s 91st-minute spot-kick ensuring the League Two leaders left with a point.
Daniel Udoh had given Salford the lead in the 51st minute, but David Tutonda levelled for the hosts deep into added time. The game then descended into a penalty shootout scenario within the final minutes of play. Garbutt calmly restored parity from twelve yards, with Brandon Cooper, Paolo Mariani and Ryan Graydon also converting for Salford in the extraordinary sequence. Adebola Oluwo had earlier missed a penalty for the visitors in the 92nd minute.
Match details and discipline
The match was a physical affair, with Salford’s Matt Butcher and Accrington’s Alex Henderson both receiving yellow cards. Salford edged possession with 53% and registered more shots on target, seven to Accrington’s three. The result maintains Salford City’s momentum as they sit top of League Two, one point clear with 16 points from nine games. Their recent form reads three wins from their last five matches.
Attention now turns to a key League Two fixture away at Cheltenham this Saturday. The squad, which includes top scorer Ryan Graydon who has netted 11 times this season, will be looking to extend their lead at the summit at Whaddon Road, with kick-off at 3pm.
