Salford close in on automatic promotion places with win against Barrow

Salford moved closer to League Two’s automatic promotion places after making it four wins on the bounce with a 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened Barrow.

Ryan Graydon and Fabio Borini put the hosts 2-0 up and although Danny Rose pulled one back for the Bluebirds, a second goal for Borini put the game to bed late on.

The result sees the Ammies remain in fifth place, but they are now just two points behind Cambridge in the third and final automatic spot.

Defeat for Barrow means they are now bottom of the table – two points from safety but with a game in hand on the two teams above them..

Having missed a few early chances, Graydon put Salford into a 20th-minute lead when he latched onto a long ball over the top, drove into the box and slotted home.

Barrow pushed for an equaliser early in the second half, with Jack Earing’s goalbound shot brilliantly blocked by Rosaire Longelo shortly before the hour.

And they were made to pay for missed opportunities in the 69th minute when substitute Borini guided Graydon’s cross from the right into the net to make it 2-0.

Not lying down easily, Barrow halved the deficit eight minutes later through substitute Rose, who fired into the bottom-right corner.

But any hopes of a comeback were ended when Borini struck again in the 83rd minute, pouncing on a poor clearance from goalkeeper Wyll Stanway to slide the ball into the back of the net.