Stanley stung by the Bees

ACCRINGTON STANLEY crashed to a demoralising away day defeat, going down 3-1 at Griffin Park, whilst taking on Brentford Town.

Ian Craney, still enjoying his striker role up front with Paul Mullin managed to get himself on the scoresheet again, but it wasn’t enough to stop Stanley crashing to a seventh defeat in nine, as the Reds slumped to 17th in League Two.

The hosts started with confidently, something we knew the Bees would do, after travelling for six hours last month only to see their game at the Fraser Eagle Stadium called off an hour before kick off. Leaving 900 travelling Brentford fans disappointed, ahead of a long and pointless drive home.

Nathan Elder had the first chance of the game, but hesitated when up against his last man, Aswad Thomas, and cheaply gave the ball away, when it could have easily led to a Brentford lead after only two minutes of play.

Ian Craney superbly won possesion on the right wing, who saw his well flighted cross in to the penalty area chested down by Paul Mullin to on-loan Andy Todd, who saw his smashed half volley click the crossbar to go behind.

Five minutes later, and Brentford’s luck was also out. Ryan Dickinson’s 25-yard stinger of a free kick strook the outside of the returning Kenny Arthur’s post, before bouncing to safety, away of an onrushing pack of Brentford forwards.

Stanley’s resistance finally came to an end just after the half an hour mark, when Glenn Poole met Ricky Shakes’ free cross from the right wing, to knock the ball past a match fitness lacking Arthur in the Stanley goal, who was making his first start since his broken leg in October. The goal was the 11th of the season for Poole.

The Reds almost instantly hit back though, when in form Craney smashed home from close range, after Shaun Whalley showed why he is worthy of a starting berth in the starting 11 for Stanley, beating the offside trap before rounding his man, Craig Pead.

Stanley couldn’t take their equal scoreline in to the half time break, and it turned out to be John Coleman’s boys’ downfall. Matt Heywood’s header following Rob Milsom’s corner crept past Arthur, with just three minutes until the break.

Accrington almost pulled the scores level again just after half time, when Mullin flicked the ball on superbly to find Whalley, but the youngsters powerfilled effort clipped the outside of the post before going wide.

Brentford rounded off the goal scoring with some great counter attacking football. As Accrington pushed extra men forward looking to rescue a point, the Bees went straight down the other end, and made Stanley’s goal difference even worse.

Connell slotted past Big Scot, Arthur, giving Brentford a great three points.

Brentford: Hamer, Pead (Osborne 46), Sankofa, Heywood, Dickson, Shakes, Milsom, Stone, Poole, Connell, Elder (Reid 82).
Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Charles, Montague.

Booked: Poole.

Goals: Poole 34, Heywood 44, Connell 63.

Accrington Stanley: Arthur, Richardson, Doughty, Thomas, Edwards, Todd (Mannix 69), Proctor, Harris (King 64), Whalley, Mullin, Craney.
Subs Not Used: Dunbavin, Webb, Grant.

Booked: Harris.

Goals: Craney 39.

Att: 4,635

Ref: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk).