Two goals in stoppage time saw United record their first win of the 2024/25 season with a 3-2 victory over Salford at Creighton on Saturday morning, courtesy of a brace from James Murray and a strike from Seb Mason.
Both sides began the game slowly, with neither side able to string many passes together or trouble either defence.
On 18 minutes, James Murray provided United with their first chance of the game. A driving run forward created a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box, but he was unable to get his effort on target.
Five minutes later, Jonah Lowes picked out Jamie Hodgson on the left-wing, whose cross was too heavy for Trent Chapman to get on the end of and Salford cleared.
Just after the half-hour mark, the visitors took the lead. Hayden Atkinson was dispossessed just outside the box and the Salford forward slotted it past Thomas Randall to put Salford ahead.
On the stroke of half-time, United drew level. Some intricate play from United presented Lowes to strike goalwards, his effort was blocked but fell kindly to the feet of Murray who made no mistake in finding the corner.
HALF-TIME: United 1-1 Salford
Three minutes after the restart, a deep corner from Aran Fitzpatrick fell to the feet of Dan Hopper, but he miscued his effort and the chance fizzled out.
Moments after, Freddie O'Donoghue nicked it off the Salford defender and laid it off for Lowes to strike, but he was unable to get a shot off.
On 52 minutes, Salford retook the lead. A left-footed effort inside the box was rifled into the roof of the net with Randall left motionless in goal.
Ten minutes later, Randall produced a big save from close range to deny the visitors from scoring a third.
With 20 minutes to play, Hopper found himself in acres of space, he played the ball across the face of the goal but no one was there to apply a finishing touch.
United kept pushing but time was running out to find a way back into the game as the clock ticked over into stoppage time.
In the sixth minute of additional time, United were level once again. A long ball over the top was not dealt with by the Salford defence, Seb Mason chased it down and bullied his man off the ball before calmly slotting past the 'keeper.
That wasn't it - United found a winning goal two minutes later. The ball bounced around in the Salford penalty area before falling to the feet of Murray, who shifted it onto his left-foot and found the bottom corner to give United the win with the final kick of the game.
FULL-TIME: United 3-2 Salford
UNITED: Randall, Chapman, Hodgson (60' Mason), Porter (70' Penney), Nicholson, Atkinson, Fitzpatrick (60' Rigby), Lowes, O'Donoghue (60' Lambert), Murray, Hopper.
Unused sub: Worth
United goals: Murray (45',90+8'), Mason (90+6')
