Salford City carry a perfect five-game winning run and top spot in League Two into their FA Cup first round tie at Carlisle United this Saturday. The Ammies, who have not lost since early October, are in their best form of the season as they enter the national cup competition, having won five and drawn none of their last five league matches.
They sit five points clear at the summit of the fourth tier, having taken 31 points from their 14 league matches with a record of ten wins, one draw and three losses. Their last outing was a 2-1 comeback victory over Exeter City on Saturday 31 October, where goals from Luke Garbutt and Will Aimson sealed the points. That result typified a resilient streak, with four of their last five wins coming by a single-goal margin. The team's recent victories have been underpinned by scoring key goals in the final 15 minutes. This winning sequence began with a 2-1 win over Crawley Town on Saturday 17 October, followed by victories over Bristol Rovers, Walsall, and then Exeter. In the 4-2 win at Walsall on Monday 26 October, Macaulay Langstaff, Jorge Grant, Kallum Cesay and Adebola Oluwo were all on the scoresheet.
Carlisle's consistent form
Carlisle will provide a stern test, having themselves won four of their last five matches across all competitions. Their most recent victory was a 4-2 win over Altrincham last weekend, where they fielded a settled starting eleven including the likes of Linney and Ajiboye in attack. Like Salford, they have built momentum with a string of positive results, setting the stage for a competitive cup tie.
Head-to-head and selection
That lineup featured the defensive solidity of Aimson and Scarr, with the attacking threat provided by Macaulay Langstaff and Luke Molyneux.
Salford's strength has been built on a solid defence, conceding only 15 league goals, and a spread of goalscorers. Their attack has been potent, scoring 25 league goals for a goal difference of plus ten. The club's top scorer this season is R. Graydon with 11 goals.
