Stockport County and Salford City will play each other over two legs in the League Two play-off semi-finals after the Hatters missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the season.
County needed to beat Hartlepool at home and hope Northampton slipped up at Tranmere to claim the final automatic promoted spot, but in the end neither happened. The Cobblers secured their own fate with a 1-0 win on the Wirral and Dave Challinor's side were held to a 1-1 draw with Callum Camps missing a penalty in stoppage time.
That means they finish the regular season in fourth place and will face Greater Manchester rivals Salford City across two legs in a bid to reach the final, where Bradford City or Carlisle United will await.
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The Ammies finished seventh after a 1-0 defeat to Gillingham at the Peninsula Stadium on the final day, which meant they fell to the final play-off spot and missed on securing fifth, which would have meant playing the second leg of the semi-final at home.
Neil Wood's side will now welcome County to the Peninsula Stadium this Saturday (May 13), with the game kicking-off at 7.45pm. The return fixture takes place at Edgeley Park on Saturday, May 20, with a 12.30pm kick-off. The winners will contest the final at Wembley on Sunday, May 28, with the final place in League One for 2023/24 on the line.
Stockport are bidding for back-to-back promotions after winning the National League last term and lost just one of their last 20 league games of the season. Class of 92-backed Salford City have spent four years in League Two and this is the first time they've reached the play-offs.
County have had the edge in the two regular-season meetings this season, winning 2-0 at the Peninsula Stadium in October and drawing 1-1 at Edgeley Park at the end of March.
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