Salford City extended their unbeaten league run to five games and climbed to seventh in the table after a convincing 4-1 derby victory at Boundary Park on Saturday.
The visitors took an early lead when Luke Molyneux’s right-wing cross found the far corner in the fifth minute, sneaking past everyone in the box and leaving goalkeeper Matt Hudson with no chance.
Salford’s second came on 19 minutes in spectacular fashion. A loose clearance from Hudson fell to Kelly N’Mai, who steadied himself and sent a delicate lob from around 30 yards over the stranded keeper to make it 2-0.
Oldham responded almost immediately. Two minutes later Calum Kavanagh reduced the deficit with a low finish to the left of Salford keeper Will Norris, giving the home side fresh hope and lifting the crowd as the first half approached its conclusion.
The closing moments of the opening 45 took an unusual turn. Referee Isaac Searle had indicated there would be four minutes of stoppage time but blew his whistle after three. Play was halted and, once officials realised a minute remained, the teams were recalled onto the pitch to complete the final minute of the half. The brief, unexpected interruption caused confusion among players and supporters and briefly overshadowed the match’s early drama.
CHAOS as the referee blows the whistle too early at half-time of Oldham vs Salford 😱 pic.twitter.com/uVzNE9PiP2
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 26, 2026
When the second half got under way, Salford reasserted control. The visitors probed for a way through and in the 57th minute Brendan Wiredu found a route past Hudson with a low effort that restored a two-goal cushion and eased the pressure on the away side.
Oldham pushed to get back into the game, searching for openings against a compact Salford defence, but clear opportunities were limited. As the match opened up late on, substitute Adebola Oluwo rose to meet Luke Garbutt’s free-kick with a firm header in the 81st minute to seal the result, turning a worrying moment for the visitors into a comfortable finish.
The scoreline completed a difficult afternoon for Oldham, who now face a fourth straight league defeat, while Salford celebrated an emphatic derby win that kept their positive run intact and moved them further up the table.
Key moments:
- 5′ — Luke Molyneux (Salford) opens the scoring with a right-wing cross that finds the far corner.
- 19′ — Kelly N’Mai (Salford) lobs goalkeeper Matt Hudson from around 30 yards to make it 2-0.
- 21′ — Calum Kavanagh (Oldham) reduces the deficit with a low finish to the left of Will Norris.
- Half-time — Referee Isaac Searle signals four added minutes but blows after three, then recalls players to complete the remaining time.
- 57′ — Brendan Wiredu (Salford) scores to restore a two-goal lead.
- 81′ — Adebola Oluwo (Salford) heads home from Luke Garbutt’s free-kick to seal the win.
Ultimately it was Salford’s composure and clinical finishing that decided the contest. They took advantage of early openings and managed the game effectively after the halftime confusion, while Oldham were left to reflect on missed opportunities and the need to arrest a downturn in form.
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