Salford City v Grimsby: League Two playoff semi-final second leg prediction, lineups & tips

Karl Robinson called for "calmness and composure" in the build-up to this second leg, but the Peninsula Stadium on Friday night is unlikely to offer much of either. Salford City carry a 2-1 advantage from Blundell Park, courtesy of a comeback that left Grimsby seething, Adebola Oluwo's decisive header arrived with Haji Mnoga appearing to obstruct goalkeeper Jackson Smith in an offside position, and David Artell's side have spent the week convinced they were robbed of home advantage. That sense of injustice is exactly the kind of fuel that makes a one-goal deficit feel surmountable.

Robinson's side, for their part, know the prize on offer. Salford missed automatic promotion by a single point after being held to a goalless draw by Crawley Town on the final day, a result that has quietly stung all week. They are now 90 minutes, or possibly 120, from a Wembley playoff final, bidding to reach League One for the first time at the seventh attempt in the EFL. The Ammies finished fourth on 81 points, winning a league-high 25 games across the regular season, and only Cambridge United won more home matches than their 14 at the Peninsula Stadium. Home advantage matters here.

Grimsby finished seventh on 78 points, three places and three points below Salford in the final standings. David Artell's side closed the campaign with seven wins from their final 10 league matches, form that earned them a play-off berth for the first time since 2006, and they carried genuine momentum into this tie. The Mariners also beat Salford twice in the regular season, winning 2-0 away and 3-1 at home, and they know what it takes to silence the Peninsula Stadium. Artell said after the first leg: "We know who we are and what we're capable of. It was a close first game, and clearly there was not much to choose between the two teams, which means it is still all to play for."

Salford City: Young; Garbutt, Cooper, Oluwo, Mnoga; N'Mai, Butcher, Austerfield, Longelo; Cesay, Graydon

Grimsby: Smith; McJannet, Rodgers, Kacurri, Turi; Staunton; Kabia, Green, Walker, Vernam; Cook

Salford City v Grimsby kicks off at 19:15 BST on Friday, 15 May 2026. The match is broadcast live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, and streams via the Sky Go app for subscribers. EFL iFollow coverage is also available for international supporters.