Jodi Jones was instrumental in ending Notts County’s 11-year absence from League One, putting on a virtuoso performance in their devastating victory against a Salford City side who were watched by owners Sir David Beckham and Gary Neville at a sweltering Wembley Stadium.
While Ammies supporters were heavily outnumbered in the crowd of 30,851 at the League Two play-off final, there was a huge focus on the former Manchester United and England team-mates in the stands.
On the pitch, where heatwave temperatures peaked at 37C, Malta international Jones once again helped the Magpies to promotion at the national stadium – having been part of the Notts side that beat Chesterfield on penalties in the National League promotion final in 2023.
He first provided the pass that set Alassana Jatta on his way to opening the scoring with a cool finish in stifling conditions. Then he helped to create Notts’ second with a well-worked free-kick that was eventually headed home by Lucas Ness.
Jones went on to complete the one-sided result with a first-time finish past Salford goalkeeper Matt Young with 20 minutes remaining.
Jodi Jones first joined Notts County on loan from Oxford United in January 2023The sun-soaked showdown in London failed to produce a shot on goal in the opening 25 minutes leading up to the first drinks break. Once refreshed, Notts wasted no time in breaking the deadlock.
As oppressive as the temperature was, it was Salford’s inability to keep Jones suppressed that proved the difference in an otherwise cagey first half.
No pass in this game was more decisive than the searching ball the winger swept into the path of Jatta from deep, that set the Gambia striker up for the opener just after the half-hour mark.
Jones then went on to orchestrate the Magpies’ second on the stroke of half-time, sending a free-kick to Rod McDonald at the back post – where it was volleyed back across goal for Ness to meet with a towering header.
It was not until the second half that Salford managed a meaningful chance but, even then, goalkeeper and lifelong Notts fan James Belshaw read the danger and rushed off his line to smother a shot from Kallum Cesay as he broke free on goal.
That sniff of a chance was the best the Ammies managed to carve out, with Jones going on to put the result beyond doubt when he raced into the box and slammed the ball home after meeting a cut-back pass from substitute Conor Grant.
It was a performance that earned Jones a standing ovation when he was replaced late on, and why he earned more rapturous applause when named man of the match.
Salford miss out on reaching new heights
Sir David Beckham was at Wembley to watch Salford’s defeat with former Manchester United team-mate Paul ScholesNotts’ promotion has kept Salford, a club who were playing in the eighth tier of English football in 2014, from reaching new heights under the ownership of Beckham and Neville.
It was only months ago that the pair took controlling stakes in the club after buying up the shares of the rest of the famed Class of ’92 who were heavily involved in the Ammies’ rise from the depths of non-league.
Four promotions in five seasons followed the initial investment made in the club by the former Manchester United quintet of Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.
It was an ascent that took them to League Two for the first time in 2019, but it is in the fourth tier that they have remained since – and where they will be again next term after falling one win short of going up just weeks after finishing one point adrift of the automatic promotion places.
