STANLEY’S PROMOTION ON HOLD
Grecians thwart league leaders
ACCRINGTON Stanley’s promotion party was put on hold after John Coleman’s side were held to a home draw by fourth-placed Exeter, but the manager said his only disappointment was seeing their winning streak ended.
Kayden Jackson cancelled out Jayden Stockley’s opener, but the league leaders could not find the goal which would have sealed a tenth successive home win and promotion.
And Coleman admitted that, while he could not fault the players’ efforts, it was their decision-making in key areas of the pitch which ultimately cost them victory.
“I’m not so much disappointed we haven’t been promoted – we might already have enough points for promotion,” Coleman said.
“I’m disappointed we haven’t won, because I like winning, and I want the players to have this emotion.
“When you get into a run of winning games, you get a taste for it – and you just want more.
“From a neutral perspective it was quite an open game, very end to end.
“I can’t fault our players for effort and I’m really proud of how they applied themselves.
“They ran themselves into the ground but I just think our decision making wasn’t as good as what it normally is. The quality we have come to expect dipped a little.”
Accrington started on the front foot, but their best early chances came from set pieces – Scott Brown’s 20-yard effort deflected wide off Hiram Boateng from one well-worked short corner on five minutes.
Seamus Conneely found space to shoot when another corner was only half-cleared in the 16th minute, but his deflected shot through the crowd of players was cleared.
Stockley fired in against his former team on 21 minutes, how-
ever, pouncing on the rebound to score from close-range after Aaron Chapman parried Matt Jay’s fierce strike into his path.
Jay nearly doubled the lead on 25 minutes, when Janoi Donacien headed a clearance straight into his path, but Chapman tipped his dipping volley wide and Stockley nodded wide from the resultant corner.
Jackson levelled on 38 minutes though, receiving the ball from Billy Kee’s flick-on and beating his marker before firing in from the edge of the area.
Jordan Clark found space to run into from midfield on 53 minutes, and let fly from 30 yards out, but shot well over.
At the other end, Stockley turned and shot in the area on 55 minutes after a fast-paced Exeter counter-attack, but his effort was too near Chapman it deflected it away.
Exeter enjoyed a good spell of attacking possession and Jake Taylor got around Donacien on 63 minutes but Chapman again parried the shot wide.
Boateng then fired just wide from distance, via a slight deflection, a minute later.
Clark blazed over at the other end on 72 minutes, from Callum Johnson’s pull-back, while Christy Pym spread himself well to deny the same player fifteen minutes later.
But despite pegging Exeter back, Accrington could not find the goal which would have ignited the promotion celebrations.
And visiting boss Paul Tisdale said was delighted with the way his team had nullified the league leaders on their own patch, and kept themselves right on track in the play-off place
“It was a terrific match and I’m really, really proud of the way we played.
“It was a heck of a game, end to end stuff, and in that second-half it could have gone either way with both teams trying to win it and take the three points.”
“We tried to win it. We decided it wasn’t a good idea to sit back and let them dictate and we’ve created chances.
“Their strikers have got them out of that deficit.
“To be challenging at this point in the season with a depleted team and a lot of youngsters, and pushing Accrington Stanley all the way, I’m really proud of the team for their efforts.”