Quickfire double Downs Dons
ACCRINGTON Stanley scored twice in four minutes to secure their first away win of the season, goals from Ross Sykes and Matt Butcher meant the Reds came from behind after AFC Wimbledon had taken an early lead at The Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, as the rain came down hard in West London on Saturday.
Grabbing what would turn out to be the winner on the stroke of half time, Butcher recorded his first goal since joining John Coleman’s outfit from Bournemouth in the Summer.
As happens often with Stanley it took the opposition side creating chances before the Reds clicked into gear and got any momentum moving out of their own half.
Coleman has made no secret of the fact that he is still on the hunt for another goalkeeper before the transfer window closes, but Toby Savin is doing all he can to create a selection headache for his manager and he was called into action after just ten minutes.
Ryan Longman found himself in possession on the right corner of the Stanley 18-yard box, looking up he squared the ball across the pitch into the path of Luke O’Neill.
Joe Pritchard closed O’Neill down with a little too much eagerness and with one touch he was able to leave the Stanley midfielder flat footed and found himself 25 yards out with time to spare.
He struck the ball well but Savin was equal to it and made a routine save, pushing the ball over the goal for a corner kick.
The hosts were encouraged by forcing the save and continued asking questions of the Stanley defence, on 18 minutes that pressure paid off and they scored the opening goal of the contest.
It was Longman again who began the move, playing a cute one-two with Steve Seddon on the right touchline, Seddon sent a hopeful cross onto the edge of the box which didn’t look too dangerous.
However, Joe Piggott was leading the line for the Don’s, and with a striker of his quality you always have to be wary.
Pigott managed to trap the ball well on the edge of the area with his back to goal.
He slipped the ball out to Alex Woodyard who returned the favour as Pigott got himself into space.
The experienced forward, who has spent time at Luton and Newport wrapped his foot around the ball, curling his shot past an outstretched Savin in the Stanley goal.
The ball ricocheted off the woodwork and unfortunately for Accrington found its way onto the boot of an advancing Longman who didn’t make great contact, but it was enough to put his side in front.
Going behind seemed to spark Stanley into life and the Reds had a penalty appeal waved away just one minute later. However, after a time of sustained possession, they found the equaliser.
Tariq Uwakwe was back in the starting line-up after missing last week’s defeat to Oxford through injury, and he showed fans what they had missed whilst he was away.
On free kick duty, he lofted a superb cross into the box that was flicked on by Harvey Rodgers into a pack of bodies made up of players from both sides.
The ball bounced away and into the path of Ross Sykes, the defender making no mistake and rifling his shot into the top corner, past Connal Trueman in the home goal to put the reds back on level terms after 41 minutes.
The home team was rocked, and will have been looking to get to half time and regroup, but Stanley had the bit between their teeth and on 45 minutes took the
lead. Uwakwe again began a fantastic move, picking up the ball deep in his own half he sent a searching pass forward that was met by Pritchard just outside the centre circle.
Pritchard used his pace well and drove forward, eventually playing the ball to a sprinting Ryan Cassidy on the left-hand side of the Don’s box.
Cassidy cut his cross back to the edge of the area where it was met by Butcher.
One perfectly timed touch popped the ball out of his feet and away from his marker and with his left foot the new man struck across the keeper and into the bottom right corner of the goal to the jubilation of the Stanley staff and players.
Butcher was pleased to get off the mark: “It’s great. The quality that we had on the ball today allowed us to get plenty of shots away. The overall quality from the lads was allowing me to get into those positions higher up the pitch and shoot. It becomes easier for me and I’m happy.”
After half time Stanley rode their luck,, calling on Savin to save well one again from an onrushing Longman.
The stopper smothered the ball well to block a shot as well as saving easily after the goalscorer put together a great run from his own half.
On 65 minutes there was the introduction of Chelsea loanee Jon Russell, Coleman was excited at the prospect of seeing the 19 year old play senior football: “He’s a good player, we knew his pedigree from Chelsea and he’s someone who’s been on our radar for a bit.
“This season we’ve given 5 or 6 league debuts to players and that’s a lot to gel at once. We have to be patient.”
There was still enough time for Longman to rattle the crossbar for Wimbledon, but his attempts were in vain as Stanley held on to take all 3 points.
The impressive win meant that Stanley climb to 9th in the table and sit only one point behind the play-off places.
This weekend they welcome local rivals, Rochdale to the Wham Stadium, who themselves recorded a first win against Fleetwood Town last week to get their 2020/21 season up and running.
The visitors will arrive with confidence off the back of their win and in the knowledge that they are yet to suffer defeat on Accrington soil since the Reds were promoted back to the Football League in 2006.
Stanley have only won on two occasions out of a possible 16 against Dale, their last home win coming in 1960.
John Coleman and his team will be hoping to end that very unwanted record and was quick to back his sides chances: “We expect every game we play to be tough, but we also expect to give teams a good game. That’s why we’re involved in football.”