ACCRINGTON STANLEY 1
Shay McCartan 48
CRAWLEY TOWN 0
ACCRINGTON Stanley’s play-off ambitions look more and more plausible with every passing game after the Reds picked up another home win and extended their unbeaten run to 15 matches.
A single second half goal from Shay McCartan was enough to give John Coleman’s side three points against Crawley Town to cut the gap to the top seven to just two points.
The visitors weren’t assured of safety for next season ahead of kick off, sitting just seven points from the bottom two, and they started purposefully and created the early chances.
James Collins almost capitalised on an Omar Beckles clearance clattering back off Harvey Rodgers but shot wide before Dean Cox blasted over having cut in from the left.
It took Stanley a while to settle and their first opening didn’t appear until the 20th minute when Billy Kee’s low shot was easily saved by Glen Morris.
Moments later the keeper faced a sterner test, with Kee spinning and hitting a fierce effort which was pushed away by Morris.
Crawley remained a threat and it took a brave block from Mark Hughes to deny Collins once more before the Stanley defender was harshly booked for handball.
The Reds went close to breaking the deadlock through centurion Matty Pearson who volleyed left footed after a McCartan effort looped into the sky but the midfielder’s strike was deflected over and he was denied a goal on his 100th Stanley appearance.
The breakthrough came shortly after the interval with the familiar pair of Sean McConville and McCartan combining again. McConville’s inviting pass left McCartan one on one and the forward dinked the ball over Morris for his 11th of the season.
Stanley looked to add a second with Jordan Clark crossing from the right and McConville heading narrowly over.
Crawley continued to pose a threat, with Collins seeing a strike deflected over and defender Mark Connolly heading into the stand when well placed.
McConville and Beckles tried to extend Stanley’s lead with Morris equal to their endeavours before a McConville curler beat the keeper and clipped the inside of the far post.
Collins had been the dangerman for the Red Devils and perhaps should have levelled things up nine minutes from time. Marek Rodak could only push out a powerful Josh Payne shot straight to the striker who from inside the area shot over the top and into the Crawley fans.
The visitors piled on the pressure late on but Coleman’s side held firm, riding their luck at times but picking up a second successive clean sheet.
It wasn’t a vintage performance but the final whistle brought an 11th home game unbeaten.
The last time the Reds went that long without losing at home was April 2011 when they made a late push for the play-offs. What odds on a repeat?
Stanley: Rodak, Rodgers, Beckles, Hughes, Donacien, Clark, Pearson, Conneely, McConville, McCartan, Kee
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