Salford defender Adebola Oluwo heads towards goalGetty Images

Adebola Oluwo's deflected header means Salford will take a one-goal lead into Friday's second leg

Ian Woodcock
BBC Sport England

A controversial Adebola Oluwo goal gave Salford City a narrow win at Grimsby Town in the first leg of their League Two play-off semi-final.

Oluwo's header deflected off Mariners defender Cameron McJannet and beat Jackson Smith. However, the goalkeeper appeared to be unsighted by Haji Mnoga, who was in an offside position, and home players and coaching staff were incensed that the goal was not ruled out.

The hosts had got off to the dream start when Reece Staunton scored with a wonderful long-range volley after just 26 seconds, only for the Ammies to level inside four minutes through Kallum Cesay's composed finish.

Salford took the lead before the break through Oluwo and, despite having the majority of the ball in the second half, Grimsby could not get back on level terms.

The two teams meet in the second leg on Friday (19:15 BST).

Reece Staunton, of Grimsby Town, scores with a volleyShutterstock

Grimsby Town's Reece Staunton opened the scoring with a spectacular volley

Mariners let Salford off the hook after stunning start

Salford had finished three places and three points above the home side in the table.

However, the Mariners ended the season in great form and took the lead with their first foray forward when a cross from the right was headed clear as far as full-back Staunton, who sent a superb cushioned volley into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Karl Robinson's men, who would have gone up automatically had they won at struggling Crawley on the final day, quickly recovered their composure and were level when the home side made a mess of dealing with a throw-in and Cesay, in for a first start since 31 January, kept his cool to slot in.

Neither side could force the goalkeepers into meaningful work for the rest of the half until Oluwo's header from Luke Garbutt's corner beat Smith.

Grimsby boss Dave Artell led the complaints about the goal being allowed to stand but referee Matthew Corlett was unmoved.

That seemed to take a lot of the energy out of the home side and they barely threatened in the second half, with midfielder Kieran Green's tame free-kick straight at Matt Young in the Salford goal being their best effort.

The Mariners won both league games between these two sides in the regular season and will still believe they can turn the deficit around on Friday.

'Referee said it was one for VAR' - reaction

Artell: 'We didn't do enough'

Grimsby Town boss Dave Artell told BBC Radio Humberside:

"It was a tight game, I thought it was fairly attritional. I'm not sure there was too much football played from either team, if I'm being honest.

[On reaction to second goal] "As soon as it went in I said, 'That's offside.' That's it, that's my view.

"I'm going to see the referee in a minute because the explanation we had at half-time of 'it was one for VAR' doesn't sit quite comfortable with me because we've not had VAR all season.

"They (Salford) wanted to stop us playing and I thought they were fairly successful at that.

"We've took more points since Christmas than any other team and we've already been there and won 2-0... all those things that are relevant but sort of inconsequential as well because it's going to be what happens on Friday night."

Salford City boss Karl Robinson said:

"I almost clapped their goal because it was a brilliant finish.

"But every single one of my players stood up to the challenge from that point on.

"I'm not under any illusions as to how hard it is going to be on Friday, and if we were a goal behind, we'd be standing here saying we're still in the tie.

"We are still up against it and you can twist a two-legged tie however you want to in terms of who has the advantage… and the one we have is only a small one.

"As a collective, that was one of our best away performances of the season, which shows how good the opposition are because it was incredibly tight."

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