SALFORD 1 CITY 0

TIME to concentrate on the league for City now - there are no other distractions.

The Papa Johns Trophy was removed from the calendar after a dour defeat in their first appearance in the knock-out stages for five years.

Significantly, another early cup exit will also hit them in the pocket. Having missed out on an FA Cup windfall with that first-round loss to Harrogate earlier this month, the Trophy had become a more important target financially.

That won’t happen and when City return to action a week on Saturday at leaders Leyton Orient, the promotion bid will be the sole focus for the rest of the season.

Hughes had promised a strong line-up and resisted the mass changes from the group games.

There were three switches from the weekend with Vadaine Oliver getting another chance to put some pressure on Andy Cook, while Tyreik Wright and Dion Pereira came in for Abo Eisa and Scott Banks in supporting roles.

But the most significant name on the team sheet was among the subs where Jamie Walker was included for the first time since July 30.

The Scot’s only action since his knee surgery had been a 45-minute outing behind closed doors last week. He was a very welcome sight.

The empty seats everywhere made for an atmosphere more akin to a pre-season friendly with the travelling City fans outnumbering the few home ones who had turned up.

Salford rattled off three shots in the first 10 minutes, although only the opening effort from Callum Hendry forced Harry Lewis into a save. Ryan Watson and Lorent Tolaj were more wayward.

City got into some promising positions down the flanks but were let down by their decision-making in the final third.

There was not much to get excited about - the fact you could hear each individual player showed how much the crowd were into it.

Wright worked the ball into a promising position for Harry Chapman, but he ran into heavy traffic in the box before he could get a shot off. A lack of composure continued to frustrate.

Salford appealed in vain for a penalty but it remained very ordinary fare - until the hosts took the lead 10 minutes before the break.

Swiss striker Tolaj peeled away from Alex Gilliead, worked the ball onto his left foot and blasted a cross-shot past Lewis from the corner of the box.

It was a moment of quality from the on-loan Brighton man in a game that had lacked any up that point - although the City keeper may have felt he could have done better with it.

Brad Halliday thrashed a wild shot high and wide in quick response - summing up City’s lack of threat in a poor first half, which ended with Richie Smallwood completely over-clubbing a corner and clearing the lot.

The biggest cheer from the away end came when Salford keeper Tom King slipped over as he took a goal kick.

Finally, City gave them something to enjoy as Halliday’s angled pass fed Wright on the run and he drove low but straight at King.

That brought the fans to life and they were nearly treated to an equaliser as Chapman worked room for a crack that pinged back into play off the far post.

Elliot Watt had got off lightly with any stick compared with City's previous visit. But he was forced off with a knock just before the hour - and got plenty when he had to trudge past the travelling support.

Wright was seeing more and more of the ball as the visitors displayed signs of life.

Hughes then made a triple change for the final quarter with Walker getting the nod along with Scott Banks and Ryan East. Pereira, Chapman and Smallwood made way.

City shouted for a hand ball against Ryan Leak but that was ignored. The gangly defender then frustrated them again with a timely interception in the six-yard box from Wright’s cross as Oliver closed in.

That was the striker’s last involvement of a disappointing night as Andy Cook was summoned with 11 minutes left.

Lewis pulled off an alert save to deny Hendry a Salford second before Leak headed over from the corner.

Walker drilled a late effort off target and Banks saw a shot tipped over by King. But there was to be no dramatic finish as City's Trophy exit was confirmed in flat fashion.

Just 578 turned up in the cold to witness it - the 305 travelling majority trudged back home feeling short-changed.

SALFORD: King 6, Bolton 6, Vassell 7, Leak 7, Touray 6, Watson 7, Watt 6 (Jenkins 59min, 6), Bailey 6, Tolaj 7 (McAleny 79min), Smith 6, Hendry 7. Subs (not used): Berkoe, Nartey, O’Brien, Dackers, Chapman.

CITY: Lewis 6, Halliday 6, Platt 6, Songo’o 6, Foulds 5, Gilliead 5, Smallwood 6 (East 68min), Pereira 5 (Banks 68min), Chapman 6 (Walker 68min), Wright 7, Oliver 5 (Cook 79min). Subs (not used): Odusina, Eisa, Doyle.

CITY MAN OF MATCH: Tyreik Wright.