Salford City boss reacts to their win at Carlisle United

The visitors snatched the points through Luke Bolton’s 88th-minute winner just after Carlisle had wiped out their earlier two-goal lead.

It helped Salford take a big step towards securing a play-off place.

And Wood said: “It was an important game for either side to win today, but the way we won it, the way the players came back from the setback, with a goal like that, they fully deserved it.”

Salford moved level on points with Carlisle, behind the Blues on goal difference, and like United are odds-on to seal a top-seven finish now.

They are three points above eighth-placed Mansfield Town with a better goal difference by four, with one game to go.

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Wood praised his team’s fighting spirit and the quality of their winner after they got the better of Paul Simpson’s Blues.

“I think it was a goal deserving to win any game, a high-level goal and a great finish,” said Wood in a club interview.

Adrian Mariappa closes down United sub Jordan Gibson (Image: Ben Holmes)

“I think one thing we can say about this group of players is they’ve got massive character. Any setback, they fight back, they go to the very end.

“We spoke in pre-season about having the right mentality and attitude and they’re more than showing it.

“You have to enjoy it. We had a great following to see that and celebrate that.

“It’s important we don’t take it for granted that we’re in [the play-offs], it’s not fully confirmed yet but it leaves us in a good position going into the last game.

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“It’s in our hands, we need a point we’re capable of doing that but we’ll prepare to win the game.”

Two-goal Bolton admitted his first goal – Salford’s second – came thanks to an error from Blues keeper Tomas Holy.

The former Manchester City man also admitted his side could have dealt better with United’s second-half fightback – but said Salford always go to the end.

“I feel we need to manage games a bit better when we’ve got a lead, but we’re always ready to kick on again, you’ve seen that in our last three away games when we’ve won 3-2,” he added.