Salford denied at Fleetwood by late Matty Virtue equaliser

Matty Virtue scored a late equaliser as Fleetwood came from behind to frustrate Salford in a battling 1-1 draw at Highbury Stadium in League Two.

Kelly N’Mai put Salford ahead in the 26th minute but Virtue replied with eight minutes remaining.

And substitute Ched Evans could have won it for the hosts, only to shoot wide at the death.

Ronan Coughlan fizzed a shot wide of the target as the hosts started brightly, while at the other end Luke Garbutt blasted high and wide.

N’Mai – who bagged a brace in a 4-0 home hammering of Leyton Orent in the FA Cup on Friday – opened the scoring with his second league goal of the season.

Fleetwood’s defence was caught sleeping from goalkeeper Matt Young’s pass and N’Mai made no mistake with a composed finish.

The hosts were forced into an early change when Harrison Holgate limped off injured just before the break.

Coughlan came within a whisker of equalising when he crashed a shot against the crossbar.

Salford were denied victory when Virtue struck his second goal in five games – and were left thankful for even a point after Evans’ late chance.