ACCRINGTON Stanley are celebrating a sensational double after John Coleman and Shay McCartan both scooped prestigious awards.

Coleman claimed the Sky Bet League Two Manager of the Month gong for March, while free-kick king McCartan was awarded the Player of the Month trophy.

The Reds boss masterminded five wins to two draws to lift his side from 21st to 13th in the table, and give them an outside chance of reaching the play-offs.

He said: “I am delighted for the players – it is a team effort and the backroom staff deserve a huge credit as well.

"At the end of the day, it's the team who have got the points and that have done exceptionally well in March.

"Hopefully they can repeat it in April and, if we do, we will have a great chance of the play-offs.

"We stuck to our guns when things weren't going well for us before Christmas.

"We couldn't buy a win but we believed in what we were doing and the players stuck with it and now we are getting our rewards.

"The players are acting like winners."

Stanley striker McCartan, 22, scored six goals in seven games during March.

But he garnered even more attention due to the fact that four of those were from free-kicks as he netted stunning set-piece efforts against Barnet, Exeter, Morecambe and Grimsby.

And the Northern Irishman drew praise from judge Don Goodman, who claimed his potency rivals anyone in football.

The former Bradford and West Brom striker said: “McCartan was the top goalscorer in all four leagues in March, goals which drove Accrington up the league.

“His technique from free-kicks rivals the very best on offer anywhere at the moment, and opposition goalkeepers and defenders must fear the worst when they see him lining up.

“There have been many players at all levels of football all over the world who have scored wonderful free-kicks, but surely at professional level no-one has scored four in the same month as McCartan did in March."

McCartan, who will be gunning to shoot down Crewe at the Wham Stadium tomorrow afternoon, said: "I am delighted – it's nice to get noticed with an award.

"I have got the accolades for scoring the goals but it's a team effort as the defence has kept clean sheets, while the midfielders and the wingers have also been excellent.

"To go 12 games unbeaten is a great feat and we will just see where it takes us.

"For me, the free-kicks are now going in.

"At the start of the season they were going over the crossbar, but I have been practicing hard and now have scored five free-kicks out of my nine goals this season.

"It's all about confidence and belief, and the gaffer has believed in me to keep taking them."