United’s second half display on Saturday afternoon brought two goals and a fightback that had the crowd on its feet, only for the nine-man Cumbrians to be dealt a real blow when Luke Bolton popped up with a late, late winner.
But manager Paul Simpson was full of praise for the character shown as the players responded to the half time rallying call with a real sense of purpose.
“Credit to the subs because we needed our finishers to come on and affect the game,” he said. “I felt we needed to go back to a back three at half time, and I felt Alfie come on and gave us some real energy and quality on the ball.
“It was then a case of bringing others on to finish the game, and I thought Robbo in particular got two or three really good quality crosses in and gave us a bit of quality on his left foot.
“He’s been excellent since the day he walked in the building. He’s been unfortunate that Jack Armer has been very consistent this season, but I felt today it was about rolling the dice and hoping something happened because it wasn’t happening for us. He’s shown us what he can do and we’ve just got to go again.
“it’ll be the same for the remainder of the season. It’s going to take everybody. If Jamie Devitt has torn his hamstring that’ll be him done for the season.
“If Mellish’s ban gets upheld that will be him out for the next three, and JK is still missing for two more games, so we’ll need everybody to come into it and do a job for us.”
“In the first half I have to say that it was good play by Salford and sheer pace from Luke Bolton,” he continued. “I know Luke, I worked with him in the England group, so I know what he's got, his pace, we knew he was a threat.
“And we weren't able to contain it, unfortunately, but second-half I thought we did, we did it better. We had a better shape about us. We had a better solidity about us.
“It's just disappointing because you get yourself back into a position where you have a penalty and we lose our heads and allow that to happen, allow the referee to have to make a decision.
“I hope it's a decision that we can get overturned, if we think it's something we can do, and we've just got to lift ourselves again.
“It was the sort of game I expected, but I didn't expect to be two goals down in the first half. I felt we had some really good opportunities first half where we could get in behind and we didn't show enough quality there.
“The truth is, that's why we're in League Two and that's why we're here, there are going to be those flaws in our character.
“But I still have to say, after 45 games, I'm immensely proud of what this group of players have done, but I want a 47 and 48th game this season, so we have to do it right in the next one to give us the opportunity of at least two more.
“Kris Dennis has certainly done his bit. He’s been outstanding and for him to get 20 league goals is outstanding. I’m delighted for him. He’s worked so hard to get them, and we need some more from him now.”