WITH the UK snooker championship taking place just up the road, Accrington Stanley proved conclusively that yellows are worth more points than reds at York City’s Bootham Crescent.

John Coleman’s side kept themselves in the promotion frame with a resounding 5-1 victory to move a place up the League Two table and break the resistance of the struggling Minstermen.

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The home team handed out five debuts as they looked to address a run of seven straight defeats and looked lively in the early exchanges with new loan signing Kenny McEvoy causing problems for the Stanley defence.

Despite that, the visitors should have been in front as early as the eighth minute. When goalkeeper Scott Flinders was challenged for a Sean McConville free kick he made a mess of his handling, presenting the ball to Billy Kee but from only four yards out the striker somehow slid his shot wide of the post.

Ultimately it mattered little as the Reds, in their change strip of yellow, went in front before quarter of an hour. The defence partially cleared a Josh Windass free kick to Matty Pearson and the defender’s low drive found the back of the net courtesy of a big deflection off Stefan O’Connor.

York attempted to peg Coleman’s men back immediately but the impressive McEvoy’s cross was just beyond Vadaine Oliver and they were largely unable to contain Stanley.

McConville, Kee and Piero Mingoia all had chances to extend the lead before Kee atoned for his earlier miss. McConville tormented Jordan Lussey with a flick beyond him and crossed to the far post where Kee had the simple job of tapping in to make it 2-0.

A York goal before the break would have made it interesting but Joe Wright threw himself at a Michael Coulson header on the line and Seamus Conneely blocked the follow up as Stanley looked to retain their clean sheet.

The second half brought torrential rain but no let up in the flow of chances. Kee headed a Mingoia cross wide before Mingoia himself cut in from the right and forced a fine save from a full-stretch Flinders.

Soon it was 3-0 when Tom Davies laid the ball off to Windass, who was clipped in the box by the hapless O’Connor and referee Andy Madley pointed to the spot.

Nobody in League Two has scored more penalties than Windass and he obliged again, powering his 11th goal of the season into the right corner and receiving a yellow card for celebrating in front of the home fans.

York now looked there for the taking, with manager Jackie McNamara turning his attentions to damage limitation.

It got worse before it got better, with the home crowd baying for a free kick for a meaty challenge from sub Shay McCartan on O’Connor that wasn’t penalised. That led to McConville bursting into the box, shooting at Flinders and Kee reacting when the goalkeeper spilled to make it 4-0.

York sub Bradley Fewster pulled one back with a cool finish when he latched onto a long ball over the top and that provoked a revival in the hosts as they piled on the pressure but there was still time for more damage to be inflicted.

Cue McCartan with the pick of the goals. He picked up a loose ball on half way and powered forward, producing a curling left foot rocket from 20 yards that bent beyond Flinders for his first of the campaign.

The final outcome may have been a scoreline more suited to the tables of the Barbican Centre and slightly flattered the visitors but it showed that Stanley’s promotion credentials are increasingly impressive.