Salford City must win their penultimate match at the Peninsula Stadium against relegation-threatened Accrington Stanley to enhance their fading hopes of making the League Two playoffs.
The Greater Manchester club enter gameweek 43's fixture winless on home soil since early February, a streak that has extended to five matches after Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Doncaster Rovers, and Karl Robinson's men seek maximum points at the expense of struggling opponents, facing the risk of going seven matches without success.
Match preview
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Salford went into Tuesday's rescheduled round 38 contest with Doncaster aiming to improve their late-season push for a top-seven berth but came unstuck for the fifth straight time in front of their supporters.
Since defeating Tranmere Rovers 2-0 on February 8 to snap a three-match winless run in Greater Manchester, the Ammies have struggled at home, playing out draws with Crewe Alexandra (1-1), Gillingham (2-2) and Doncaster (1-1), while falling to losses against Bradford City (2-1) and Chesterfield (4-0).
Despite claiming three wins in five away from home amid a five-match unbeaten streak, Robinson's team have been undermined by their home results, which they hope to improve in the campaign's final rounds.
The consequences of recent results mean that the Ammies remain 10th in the table with 62 points, four points shy of Grimsby Town in seventh, occupying the final playoff spot, and six behind sixth-placed Notts County.
Aiming to avoid slipping further behind the closest teams in the playoff spots, Robinson's team must secure maximum points for the first time on their turf in six games and hope that Grimsby and Notts County fail to beat 12th-placed Swindon Town and second-placed Bradford City, respectively.
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Accrington will be in no mood to grant gifts to the 10th-placed side, given their precarious situation with safety not yet guaranteed.
Although John Doolan's men are six points clear of Carlisle United in 23rd and seven ahead of bottom-placed Morecambe, they are not mathematically safe.
While the Reds ideally should not be fearful considering their six-point buffer, Carlisle's consecutive League Two wins and Morecambe's two victories in their last four mean that the 'Owd Reds are looking over their shoulders.
With the Lancashire club failing to win a league fixture since March 11's 5-0 thrashing of Newport County, the away side's six-match sequence without three points could extend to seven by Friday.
Adding to the travelling contingent's worries is their side's ongoing poor away form, which has seen them suffer six losses in their last eight away trips since the start of February, with one win at Tranmere Rovers (1-0) and a goalless draw at Swindon Town.
Having lost the reverse fixture on their home ground before Christmas, Doolan's men hope to avoid Salford completing the double over them in 2024-25.
With Carlisle hosting league-leading Port Vale, Accrington could increase their advantage over the second-bottom side after round 43 by securing a victory
Team News
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Expected absentees through injury for Salford include Kevin Berkoe, Conor McAleny, Dan Chesters, Kylian Kouassi, Ryan Watson and Francis Okoronkwo, while Curtis Tilt misses out after Tuesday's sending-off against Doncaster Rovers.
Having scored three match-winning goals from his nine strikes, Hakeeb Adelakun aims to notch a fourth to keep the 10th-placed outfit in the race for the playoffs.
With no apparent injury issues from Saturday's thrilling six-goal draw with Tranmere, Accrington's injury worries remain Sonny Aljofree, Jay Rich-Baghuelou and Alex Henderson.
Four of Shaun Whalley's eight goals have been game-clinching strikes, and the attacker strives to be decisive for the away side.
Salford City possible starting lineup:
Young; Shephard, Garbutt, Edwards; Mnoga, Ashley, Fornah, Adelakun; Woodburn, N'Mai; Stockton
Accrington Stanley possible starting lineup:
Kelly; Ward, Matthews, Rawson; Love, B. Woods, Coyle, Batty; Whalley; Walton, J. Woods
We say: Salford City 1-0 Accrington Stanley
Friday's match is difficult to predict, with Salford winless in five home games and Accrington losing three of their last four away from home.
With Stanley going scoreless in three consecutive away games, we back the Ammies to record a narrow win in front of their fans to snap a two-month wait for success at the Peninsula Stadium.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
