ACCRINGTON S 2

ALDERSHOT TN 1

ACCRINGTON Stanley, with games in hand, forced their way into the play-off reckoning with victory over Aldershot on Tuesday night.

It was a night to forget for the Shots who could not raise their game after Saturday's excellent performance.

They had beaten Accrington 3-1 back in August, but John Coleman's side are tough nuts to crack on their own Crown Ground.

Accrington were also on a high after a lucrative FA Cup run that had eased the Lancashire club's financial burden.

Aldershot remain well placed to make the play-offs, but Kevin Dillon didn't bother to hide his frustration after the final whistle. "I can't wait to get out of here actually, it's been such a disappointing night. The club have travelled a long way and it's such a dour place to come. I thought first half we were very poor. The second half was a lot better, but if you concede goals with the ball going straight down the middle of the pitch to the heart of the defence – well it's very disappointing."

Aldershot felt the absence of Scott Donnelly and Louie Soares from their midfield, although Anthony Straker – fresh from his fine goal against Bournemouth – looked up for it and forced an early save from Dean Bouzanis in the home goal.

But after a bright start, the visitors had some defending to do and Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz did well to parry a swerving shot from James Ryan and then stop the follow-up from John Miles.

Accrington made the breakthrough on the half-hour. Ryan played superb ball over the top into the path of Andy Proctor and the skipper calmly placed his shot in the bottom corner.

Proctor should have had a second when, following a Robert Grant cross, he put an unchallenged header straight at Ruiz.

Aldershot began to get a grip on the game as half-time approached, with Oliver Bozanic, Marlon Jackson and Marvin Morgan combining well in attack.

On the restart, Dillon brought Jackson inside to play alongside Morgan. Immediately, things started to happen and Bozanic forced a smart save from Bouzanis.

The visitors were right back in contention after 59 minutes when referee Anthony Taylor adjudged Phil Edwards to have handled inside the area and Andy Sandell drove the penalty into the left-hand corner.

The sparse crowd were getting on Accrington's backs and the Shots were playing the better football. Jackson created a chance for himself with a sharp turn and a wickedly dipping shot brought the best out of Bouzanis.

Coleman had to make changes and it proved to be an inspired move when he sent on Billy Kee.

Two minutes later, Kee scored the winner when he beat Anthony Charles to Proctor's through-pass and prodded the ball past Ruiz.

Dillon went for broke with 11 minutes to go, sending on Soares, Danny Hylton and Kirk Hudson, but it was Accrington who went closest when Proctor was denied by a goal-line clearance.

Accrington: Bouzanis, Edwards, Winnard, Lees, Flynn, Proctor, Joyce, Grant, Ryan, Miles (Kee 72), Symes. Subs (not used): Dunbavin, Turner, McConville, Mullin, Murphy, King. Booked: Edwards, Grant.

Aldershot: Ruiz, Herd, Straker (Hudson 79), Blackburn, Charles, Chalmers, Harding, Bozanic (Soares 79), Morgan, Jackson (Hylton 79), Sandell. Subs (not used): Masters, Howell, Winfield, Donnelly. Booked: Bozanic, Soares.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.

Attendance: 1, 279.

* Marlon Jackson's loan spell at Aldershot has been extended until the end of the season after agreement was reached with Championship side Bristol City.

The 19-year-old forward has started all eight matches since he joined the Shots.

* Aldershot are home to struggling Grimsby Town on Saturday.