Brandon Thomas-Asante scored a hat-trick as Salford earned a thumping 5-1 home win over rock-bottom Scunthorpe.
Matt Smith's opener and a stunner from Stephen Kelly completed the scoring as the Ammies recorded their biggest win of the season to leave Scunthorpe 10 points from safety in League Two.
The home side were cruising when Smith glanced a header beyond Iron goalkeeper Rory Watson after 17 minutes from captain Jason Lowe's precision cross.
Thomas-Asante then scrambled home in first-half stoppage time to put Gary Bowyer's side 2-0 up with Scunthorpe offering little in response.
Smith also had a well-taken early goal ruled out in a dominant first half.
But against the run of play the visitors grabbed a second-half lifeline when Joe Nuttall swept home after good work from substitute Sam Burns in the 61st minute.
That hope was extinguished six minutes later when Thomas-Asante pounced on Smith's flick-on to slot through Watson's legs.
Kelly then bent home a beauty and Thomas-Asante grabbed the match ball by rifling home the rebound after a stunning save from Watson.