Stanley back in
Cheltenham Accrington 0-2
SKY BET LEAGUE TWO CHELTENHAM TOWN .... 0 STANLEY........................... 2 SHELDAN KEAY
ACCRINGTON Stanley moved back into the League Two automatic promotion places after a comfortable win at Cheltenham Town.
Goals from Billy Kee and Kayden Jackson in each half helped the Reds come out on top in the match at Whaddon Road.
Just goal difference separates Stanley in third from Wycombe in fourth, while the Reds are five points behind second placed Notts County with a game in hand.
Cheltenham went close in the early stages of the match when Mohamed Eisa received the ball in acres of space, but the forward blasted the shot well over the crossbar when he should have done better.
Cheltenham raced forward again a few minutes later when Joe Morrell forced Aaron Chapman into a save after sending a volley towards goal.
The home side were made to pay for their missed opportunities as Accrington then took the lead against the run of play on 22 minutes.
Sean McConville’s corner into the box was met by the head of an unmarked Kee, with the ball flying into the back of the net to make it 1-0 and earn Kee his fifth goal in as many games.
McConville and Kee combined again just after the half hour mark, but on this occasion Kee saw his header go over the crossbar.
Cheltenham had a good chance to get back on level terms right before the interval, but Elijah Adebayo fired his shot high and wide, much to the relief of Chapman and the rest of the Accrington team, who held on to their 1-0 lead at half-time.
It was a quiet start to the second half, but it burst into life on the hour mark as Kee went close again, this time firing over the bar after good work from Jordan Clark.
At the other end, Chapman was called into action to keep out a long-range attempt from Adebayo.
Cheltenham then shot themselves in the foot as a defensive error led to the Reds doubling their lead.
A long punt down field wasn’t dealt with properly by Emmanuel Onariase, with his attempted header back the goalkeeper intercepted by Jackson who then slotted it past goalkeeper Scott Flinders to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
Stanley could have added to their lead in the closing stages, with Sean McConville missing a good chance before Clark forced a save out of Flinders late on.
Cheltenham also went close as they hit the woodwork through Eisa and Harry Pell, but they couldn’t find a goal and Stanley came out of the game with a clean sheet and all three points.
The victory meant that it was the first time this season that the Reds have won three straight league games.