SALFORD CITY – 2

ACCRINGTON STANLEY – 1

ACCRINGTON Stanley’s Wembley dream is over as they were knocked out of the Leasing.com Trophy after a 2-1 defeat at Salford City’s Peninsula Stadium.

John Coleman’s side took the lead inside 15 minutes through a deflected Sam Finley shot, but were pegged back with the last kick of the first half as Cameron Burgess levelled.

Minutes into the second period, Tom Elliott scored the winner to make it four losses in four for the Reds.

It was a promising start for the away side as they took control of the opening few minutes and showed their dominance with them being the team in the higher division.

Jordan Clark threatened for the first time in the match early on as he almost carved out an opening, leading to a shot for Dion Charles – who struck straight at the goalkeeper.

15 minutes was all it took for Stanley to take the lead after a dominant start as Aji Alese took the ball down well on the left and fed it to Finley in the centre, 25-yards from goal.

The midfielder unleashed a powerful drive that took a deflection and looped over Chris Neal.

Salford came into the game more after the Stanley goal, but failed to trouble Joe Bursik goal for the visitors.

The home sides best chance of the opening 30 minutes came as a free kick was lofted into the box and Mark Hughes had to clear off his own goal line after a scramble in the area.

As the first period drew to a close, the game became very scrappy and it was a battle of the two midfields, with Finley and Seamus Conneely coming out on top.

Salford equalised with the last action of the first period as Burgess flicked his header from a free kick into the goal in front of the Stanley fans.

It was poor from Bursik who came to claim the ball, but was nowhere near.

Just after half time, Salford took the lead as former Stanley player Luke Armstrong got to the ball before Ross Sykes and crossed it for his partner Elliott.

The debutant slotted beyond Bursik with his first time effort.

Stanley were all out attack after falling behind as they didn’t want to let their Wembley dream die without going down fighting.

Goalkeeper Bursik stepped up to take a free kick from 25-yards out and curled his effort just wide of the post.

After all the pushing forward the away side had done, Salford could have wrapped the game up as they launched a counter attack.

The ball came in for Jake Jervis, but he put his header wide of the post.

Stanley piled forward in the latter stages, but couldn’t find the equaliser they needed to take it to penalties.

Salford XI: Neal, Touray, Threlkeld, Hogan, Armstrong, Elliott, Burgess, Baldwin, Jones, Jervis, Conway

Subs: Letheren, Wiseman, Rooney, Towell, Pond, Thomas-Asante, Burgess

Stanley XI: Bursik, Johnson, Sykes, Hughes, Alese, Clark, Conneely, Finley, Pritchard, Charles, Zanzala

Subs: Savin, Maguire, Barclay, Rodgers, Simpson, Sherif, Diallo