Salford City secured a crucial victory to advance to Wembley after a dramatic extra-time finish against Grimsby Town in their promotion campaign. The match, held on Tuesday evening, saw Kallum Cesay score a decisive late goal in extra time, sparing Salford from a potential penalty shootout and extending their pursuit of ascending the English football leagues.

Salford entered the second leg with a one-goal advantage from the first match. The team appeared in control early on when Dan Udoh increased their lead with a powerful volley in the 53rd minute. However, Grimsby Town responded strongly, mounting a late comeback that injected tension into the fixture.

Grimsby’s resurgence was galvanized by captain Kieran Green, who played a pivotal role in turning the match. Green scored the first goal of the comeback by connecting with a corner from Reece Staunton, heading the ball home amid controversy involving a possible deflection off Salford defender Jaze Kabia’s elbow. Shortly afterward, Green contributed again by delivering a low cross from the right flank, which Kabia inadvertently turned into an own goal, leveling the aggregate score and putting pressure back on Salford.

As the match approached the end of regular time, Grimsby threatened to push the game into penalties, but Cesay’s composure in the 117th minute yielded the winning goal for Salford. His strike ensured the club’s progression and kept alive the vision set forth by Salford owner Gary Neville to elevate the club rapidly through the ranks of English football.

Despite the tense moments and near setback, Salford’s victory means they will now contest at Wembley, bringing the club one step closer to their goal of entering the Championship. The result marks an important milestone for a team that has faced several challenging campaigns during this ambitious climb.