McConville gets
SKY BET LEAGUE ONE
ing stages to ensure the Reds came out on top at the Memorial Stadium.
Stanley manager John Coleman was pleased to get the victory, and was glad that it has come so early into the League Two campaign.
“I’m delighted to win the game and get the first win, because the longer it goes on the more difficult it becomes,” he said.
“I thought it was a cracking game. It was two teams wanting to win the match and playing good football. It was played in good spirits and that was reflected in the fact there was only one yellow card.
“I must admit when we were 1-0 up and we squandered a few chances then you think that might come back to bite us and it looked like it did.
“The character we showed after conceding was fantastic. We created a few chances and thank- fully we took the opportunity that fell to Sean McConville.”
Accrington were the better team in the opening stages of the match and they made the breakthrough after just six minutes.
McConville got on the end of a pass from Jordan Clark before cutting inside and firing into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 and get Stanley’s first goal of the season.
That goal gave Coleman’s men a boost and they continued to dictate play, with Billy Kee going close when he fired a shot narrowly wide.
Bristol Rovers began to come back into the match as it approached the half hour mark, with Ross Sykes needed to keep out Liam Sercombe’s attempt.
Connor Ripley was making his debut in goal for Stanley following his loan switch from Middlesbrough, and he was then needed to deny Ollie Clarke after 32 minutes.
The game turned into an end-to-end affair as half time approached, first with Ed Upson heading over the bar for the home side before Offrande Zanzala then forced a save out of Sam Slocombe.
Stanley carried their lead into the second half, and they continued to create opportunities as Ben Richards-Everton and Mark Hughes both threatening.
Clark thought he had doubled his team’s lead when his strike on 75 minutes beat Slocombe, but it cannoned back off the crossbar.
Ripley then made a good save as he turned James Clarke’s effort around the post, but he couldn’t keep out Stefan Payne on 83 minutes when he headed home to get his team back on level terms. It looked like the Reds would have to settle for a point, but with just one minute of normal time remaining, McConville managed to fire home to make it 2-1 and ensure that his side got the victory and picked up all three points.
Stanley are back in action at the Wham Stadium on Saturday against Charlton Athletic.