Peter Cklamovski hails Salford for winning ‘arm-wrestle’ with Bristol Rovers
The League Two leaders had to hang on after Jack Sparkes halved their lead in the second half.
Salford manager Peter Cklamovski hailed his side’s “resolute” qualities after the table-toppers celebrated a sixth successive League Two victory with a 2-1 win at Bristol Rovers.
The in-form Ammies stretched their lead at the top of the table to four points as Brendan Wiredu and Daniel Udoh’s first-half strikes set the visitors on their way to victory at the Memorial Stadium.
“It had a bit of everything,” Cklamovski said: “I was pleased with our first-half performance where we controlled the game and handled their style of play and their characteristics of their team which are physical and aggressive.
“We moved the ball round well and scored two good goals and we wanted to do more of the same in the second half but credit to them and their supporters for creating an electric atmosphere.
“And it turned into a bit of an arm-wrestle where we couldn’t quite get a grip of the game and we had to roll our sleeves up.
“Overall our second-half performance was defensively resolute, strong and connected and (I’m) disappointed we didn’t keep a clean sheet.
“It was a tough away game against a direct opponent, a well-coached team and a hostile crowd and the emotion of the stadium that can sway things which can give you a difficult night.
“It was a strong performance and a good three points and to make it six wins on the spin is a credit to everyone at the club.”
Midfielder Wiredu put Salford in front with whipped shot from 20 yards over Brad Young’s dive on six minutes and Udoh doubled the lead with a neat near-post finish.
Rovers wasted a lifeline on 54 minutes when Ellis Harrison thumped a 54th-minute penalty against the crossbar but three minutes later left-back Jack Sparkes beat Will Norris with a curling 20-yard free-kick to set up a tense finale.
Rovers manager Steve Evans, whose side have now lost four consecutive league games, said: “That’s a brilliant Salford team and were chasing them round for the first 20 minutes but we eventually laid punches on them without applying a knockout blow.
“There’s no doubt the conversation at half-time reflected that we’d given them too much respect and when you do that and are apprehensive you get hurt.
“The first goal was a fantastic strike and the second goal should never happen when there are three defenders at the near post, but we got going towards the end of the first half.
“Ellis will get nothing but plaudits from me because he stood up for the team and gave everything, but at that point we still had momentum and Jack hit a wonderful free-kick and after that we’ve laid siege to their box apart from the odd counter-attack.
“I’m not angry that we’ve lost tonight but what makes me angry is the way we’ve been playing away from home in games we’ve lost at Crewe and Shrewsbury. We have to be clinical.”