SALFORD, England (Interstat) — Salford City opened its League Two campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Barrow on Tuesday afternoon at The Peninsula Stadium, outperforming pregame projections with a strong second-half display.

The match, played on March 17, 2026, saw the home side overcome an early deficit to secure three points. Barrow’s Ryan Graydon opened the scoring in the 20th minute, capitalizing on a swift counterattack to stun the home supporters.

Salford City, heavily favored before kickoff, struggled to break down a organized Barrow defense in the first half. The visitors maintained their narrow lead into the interval, defying the statistical outlook that gave Salford City an 89.70 percent probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system.

The complexion of the game changed decisively after the break. Salford City’s pressure finally told in the 69th minute when forward Fabio Borini leveled the score, finishing from close range. The equalizer shifted momentum entirely to the home side.

Eight minutes later, substitute Danny Rose made an immediate impact, putting Salford City ahead for the first time in the 77th minute. Rose’s goal was assisted by fellow substitute Josh Gordon, who had entered the match in the second half. Gordon received a yellow card in the 52nd minute shortly after coming on.

Borini sealed the victory with his second goal of the afternoon in the 83rd minute, completing the comeback. The assist was credited to defender Matt Butcher, who was later shown a yellow card in the 86th minute.

The final scoreline exceeded the pregame simulation from Interstat, which had projected a 1-1 draw. The win gives Salford City a perfect start to the League Two season, moving its record to one win and no losses in the competition. Barrow begins its campaign with a loss, standing at no wins and one loss.

With the result, Salford City also maintains a perfect record across all competitions this season. Barrow’s overall record falls to no wins and one loss. The teams are scheduled to meet again later in the season at Barrow’s home ground.