Kee puts Reds in
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO SHELDAN KEAY
ACCRINGTON Stanley moved one step closer to earning promotion after a hard-fought victory away from home against Colchester United.
Billy Kee scored his 23rd goal of the season in the second half to make it seven straight wins for Stanley and earn them all three points at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.
Stanley look to be on the verge of clinching promotion and moving into League One, and manager John Coleman was very pleased with the win against Colchester.
“I’m delighted with the players. We haven’t won anything yet, but if we do go on to have success this season, then it’s them who should take the praise as they’ve been magnificent all season,” he said.
“I thought we started really bright and it was a classic away performance but then we lost our way a bit, and it might have been because Colchester upped their game.
“It was even in the last 10 minutes of the first half and then in the second half they pinned us back for five minutes and you fear for us a bit, but we stood firm and defended well.
“We stepped it up a gear after that and got the goal, and really we should have got three or four more after that as we made some good chances and their goalkeeper made some good saves.
“After that we saw the game out professionally with cool heads, which is what you would expect from the experience we’ve got in the team, so I was really pleased.”
Stanley went close in the opening stages of the game, when Mark Hughes got on the end of a pass from Sean McConville, but his effort was parried out by Colchester goalkeeper Sam Walker. Seamus Conneely was the next to threaten for the Reds, but his low shot curled narrowly wide.
Colchester had opportunities of their own during the closing stages of the first half, but Accrington were able to defend well and prevent the hosts from finding the net.
It was more of the same at the start of the second half, with Accrington having some chances while Colchester were dangerous on the counter-attack.
Stanley eventually broke the deadlock just after the hour mark though when Kee found the net.
A low ball into the box was unusually punched out by Walker, but the ball went straight to Kee who fired home from close range to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
That goal appeared to give Coleman’s side a boost and they went close to doubling their lead on several occasions.
Kee nearly scored again when he got on the end of a pass from Kayden Jackson, but Walker made amends for his earlier mistake when he made a good save to deny him.
The Reds still had to be alert at the other end to stop Colchester getting an equaliser, defending well to prevent the home side from having any clear-cut opportunities during the rest of the match.
Accrington almost sealed the win in stoppage time when Jackson raced onto a long ball over the top, but Walker was there again to make the save.
It didn’t matter in the end though, as Accrington were able to hold on to run out 1-0 winners and earn three points in their quest to earn promotion.