Salford City took all three points against Port Vale with a 1-0 victory in League Two's fifth round of fixtures on Saturday. Joe Powell netted the decisive goal in the 52nd minute. The win lifted the home side up the table while extending Port Vale's winless run.
And here's the thing about that goal - it arrived at a moment when Port Vale had been pressing. Kyle Dempsey had picked up a yellow card just before the break, and the visitors looked to be building momentum. But Powell's strike changed the complexion entirely. By then, Salford had found a way through.
The statistics told a familiar story. Port Vale enjoyed more attacks - 107 to 96 - and registered three shots on target compared to Salford's two. Yet efficiency matters more than volume in these divisions. Salford held 58 per cent possession and completed 262 of 390 passes. Port Vale managed 151 successful passes from 267 attempts.
The result leaves Salford with six points from five games, sitting 15th in League Two. Port Vale remain rooted to 24th on just two points from five matches. They have won nothing this term and lost three of their last five outings.
Nine substitutions were made across the second half as both managers reshuffled their back lines. The visitors made more changes overall, but the scoreline refused to budge. Sometimes a single moment is all a team needs.