Goals from George Thomson, Sam Folarin and Abraham Odoh saw Town earn a well-deserved a 3-2 victory over Salford City at The Envirovent Stadium.
Town raced into a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes of the first-half, with Thomson’s penalty and a fine finish from Folarin just reward for Town’s expansive play. They were pegged back though before the break thanks to an overhead kick from Curtis Tilt, before Matt Smith poked home to level.
With ten minutes remaining though Odoh coolly finished from Matty Daly’s pass to restore Town’s lead and secure a vital three points that saw them leapfrog Salford in the table, moving up to eighteenth in the table.
Simon Weaver elected to make the one change to the side that earned a point last week at Bradford, with Levi Sutton replacing Luke Armstrong. The move saw Sam Folarin move into a more advanced role.
The visitors, hit by injury of late and on the back of four successive defeats, made four changes which saw Elliot Watt, Conor McAleny, Callum Hendry and Liam Humbles come into the side with an inexperienced bench on show.
Town began the game with a patient move from back to front, stringing passes together across the width and length of the pitch. The result was a Thomson effort that struck the post and rebounded to Abraham Odoh, who, surprised to see the ball land at his feet, couldn’t find the target.
Folarin then profited from another neat move but after taking a touch too many found himself crowded out by the visitors defence.
A quarter of an hour in and Town had the lead. After Salford failed to clear their lines Matty Daly nipped in to steal possession and was fouled as he charged towards the byline. Despite protests from the Ammies defence Thomson was cool enough to smash the ball straight down the middle to give Town the lead.
Elliot Watt was yellow carded shortly after before Odoh saw a shot deflected narrowly wide.
Midway through the half and Town were 2-0 ahead. And what a move it was. Sutton, Kayne Ramsay, Thomson and Daly were all involved in and around the box before Folarin was slipped in to slot home underneath Alex Cairns.
An ambitious Anthony O’Connor shot from halfway line almost caught out Cairns, who had wandered some way off his line.
McAleny then cracked the bar as the Ammies finally sparked themselves into life. The midfielders solo run and shot had Oxley stranded, with a slight deflection earning a corner.
And it was from this that Salford halved the deficit. Town failed to clear a Smith header and Tilt was on hand to hook the ball home.
The goal stung Town who up until that point had been in complete control. But McAleny then flashed a shot wide on the stroke of half-time. Food for thought for Town at the break.
The opening minutes of the second-half saw Town with a glorious opportunity to restore their two-goal. A quick break saw Daly race clear and free Folarin who was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle by Tilt when he looked to score.
Tonw were then denied by the post after O’Connor’s header was cleared off the line only to Daly who struck hard but was frustrated to see the ball bounce away to safety.
The visitors made a change ten minutes into the half Djavan Pedro replaced Humbles.
The move paid off shortly after when a scrappy passage of play in the Town box saw the ball drop to Smith who poked home under Oxley to level.
Ryan Watson then curled an effort just beyond the far post as the visiting fans responded to their side sensing a chance to grab all three points.
Simon Weaver immediately responded by throwing on Armstrong for Folarin.
Another fine move from Town saw Ramsay and Thomson combine to set up Odoh who fired powerfully at Cairns. Now it was Town’s turn to look reinvigorated.
With twenty minutes remaining Watt was replaced by Kelly N’Mai, shortly before goalscorer Tilt powered a header from a corner narrowly wide.
Oxley then had to be at full stretch to turn away a Stevie Mallan free-kick with both sides by now believing they could go on to get an all-important victory.
It was Town though who would go on to claim all-three points with ten minutes remaining and it was through a move that summed up their play over the ninety minutes.
Attacking at pace, Daly found space and although he could have shot he played in Odoh who despatched the ball beyond Cairns for the goal that would prove to be the winner.