Stockport see off Salford on penalties to reach League Two playoff final

Stockport booked their place at Wembley for the League Two playoff final after a dramatic 3-1 penalty shootout win against local rivals Salford.

County triumphed on spot-kicks at Edgeley Park after the semi-final tie ended 2-2 on aggregate after extra time. The Stockport goalkeeper, Ben Hinchliffe, was the late hero as he saved penalties from Adrian Mariappa and Stevie Mallan to send the home fans wild.

The hosts remain on track for back-to-back promotions, while Salford’s bid to seal a fifth promotion in nine seasons is over.

Under summery sunshine at a packed-out stadium, it was Salford who threatened first. Captain Ibou Touray flung over a rather hopeful cross for Matt Smith, but the first leg’s match-winner’s header was comfortably saved by Hinchliffe. Stockport, whose manager, Dave Challinor, had made four changes, looked a little nervy in the opening stages and Conor McAleny was soon again testing Hinchliffe, this time with a crisp 20-yard drive.

With the co-owners Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt watching from the stands, Smith was proving a real handful for the Stockport backline. He wriggled into space before forcing Hinchliffe into another decent stop from close range.

Stockport began to settle and they went close on the half-hour mark when Paddy Madden flicked a header narrowly wide from Ryan Rydel’s cross. The hosts were right back in contention as the half-time interval approached, though Callum Camps ought to have done much better when he blazed wildly over the top from 18 yards out. There was a dramatic end to the first period when Madden thumped a header against the crossbar as he met Chris Hussey’s corner-kick.

The visitors should have struck 30 seconds after the restart. Luke Bolton latched on to