19 March 2022

Salford dressing room full of smiles after their biggest EFL victory

19 March 2022

Salford have been backed to extend their unbeaten run after hitting five past struggling Scunthorpe in their biggest EFL win.

Brandon Thomas-Asante scored a first career hat-trick, striker Matt Smith opened the scoring with a trademark header and Stephen Kelly curled in a cracker in a 5-1 rout of the rock-bottom Iron.

Salford assistant manager Billy Barr said: “The players are happy in there.

“There are a lot of happy people but we are on to the next game now and that is the most important thing.

“This is a great run we are on of eight unbeaten, and it’s great to get our highest EFL result. Everyone is happy with that.

“We’ve threatened to do that to teams but haven’t done it.

“If you go back to the start of the season we created loads and loads of chances but didn’t really score. We took our opportunities here. We didn’t have as many shots as we would have liked but we came away with the goals.

“Some days it falls for you and some days it doesn’t so thankfully we came away with the goals.

“We’ve been hoping for that link-up with the strikers since Smudger came in so it is great learning for Brandon and Ash Hunter. Smudger doesn’t lose many headers and we have got off the back of it and score off it so long may it continue.

“Brandon was on a barren run so I’m hoping this gives him confidence to go on and finish the season with a purple patch.”

Scunthorpe also had their assistant boss in charge with Keith Hill unwell, and Tony McMahon made no excuses for the humbling defeat.

He said: “We are very disappointed. I thought there was not a lot in the game first half except for two individuals mistakes that cost us and we found ourselves going into the break two goals down.

“We needed to change something so I brought Sam Burns on and we got back in the game at 2-1. I thought ‘come on then, let’s have a go’ but the goals we conceded are the things we showed the boys all week on videos and that is how Salford play. They play direct up to Smith and get Asante running off him, get midfield runners and we have to track them.

“Players have to go on to the pitch and take responsibility. We can given them information but they have to take responsibility on the pitch and do their jobs. They kept going which I’d expect from the team but we have conceded five goals that we have shown the boys that Salford score. I’m really disappointed.

“There shouldn’t be any surprises on the football pitch. They just have to deal with it. It’s really, really disappointing, especially after coming back into the game at 2-1.

“On any other given day we could have scored more ourselves really with the chances we created. But that scoreline is just not acceptable.”

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