Delighted Stockport boss Dave Challinor saluted skipper Paddy Madden after he sealed a deserved 2-0 win at Greater Manchester rivals Salford City late on.

The experienced Madden netted his fourth goal in as many games – the first time a Stockport player has done that since Anthony Elding in 2007.

Challinor said: “Paddy has been a bit disappointed with his own general play but you can’t argue with four goals in four games.

“We just need to keep him doing that because he’s going to be a massively important player for us this season.

“He’s a real handful, and when the cross fell to him in the box late in the game, you had a little feeling of comfort that he’d finish.

“He’s got a good habit of scoring all types of goals, so long may his run continue.”

On the result, County’s second consecutive away success, Challinor added: “It’s a brilliant three points but we have to build on it now.

“In the second half Salford created a few chances but I always thought we looked secure.

“This is a great result against a side who have been flying high this season.

“We had to change a few things around at half-time, but if anything, Salford’s change of shape suited us and the way we were looking to play.”

Neither side created much in a rather pedestrian first period.

However, Stockport struck in added time as Will Collar pounced after Salford goalkeeper Tom King couldn’t hold Myles Hippolyte’s initial strike.

The second 45 minutes was not much better for the hosts, with Stockport wrapping up victory late on when Madden coolly converted Kyle Wootton’s cross.

Ammies boss Neil Wood was left scratching his head again, as his stuttering side slipped out of the play-off places and remain without a home win since August.

Wood said: “It’s really disappointing, we need to find a way to get the home form right.

“Stockport were better than us today, they were sharper than us.

“They landed on the loose balls much better and overall I thought we were physically and mentally weak throughout the game.

“We gave away two poor, naive goals, and that didn’t help.

“We needed to be better with our shots, with our crosses, but it just didn’t happen.

“There wasn’t that much quality out there but we needed to battle it out more.

“We had a few chances in the second half but then that was a really soft goal to concede late in the game.

“Our end product hasn’t been good enough, but I’ve said that time and again this season.

“We’re letting too many teams off the hook and that’s frustrating.

“It’s no good if you’re having good possession, if there’s no chances being created at the end of it.”