Accrington Stanley

John Coleman and Jimmy Bell celebrated their 1000^th game as a management team with an Emirates FA Cup Third Round spot thanks to a 3-1 win over Cheltenham Town.

Sub Offrande Zanzala, birthday boy Billy Kee and Jordan Clark were the goal heroes as Stanley will be in the hat on Monday night.

Coleman put striker Zanzala on at the break and, within four minutes, the Congolese frontman had headed Stanley in front for his seventh goal of the season.

Zanzala was then fouled for a penalty in the 65^th minute with Kee rifling the ball into the roof of the net on his 28^th birthday.

The League Two side got one back through sub Alex Addai on 73 minutes but Clark made is safe on 79 minutes with his third of the campaign.

Clear cut chances were few and far between in the first half as the Robins limited Coleman's men.

Stanley thought they had opened the scoring on 33 minutes but a looping header from Ben Richards-Everton was cleared off the line by Tom Fields.

The Reds then piled on the pressure and Sean McConville's dangerous ball across the box had Kee sliding in at the far post but he just couldn't make a connection.

Coleman introduced Zanzala for Seamus Conneely at the break as the Reds went on the hunt for the win.

And they were unlucky not to go ahead immediately when Mark Hughes got the ball around 20 yards out and smashed it goalwards – but it was narrowly wide.

However, Zanzala made an impact on 49 minutes, heading home McConville's cross into the area from six yards out – his seventh goal of the season.

Cheltenham looked to get back on level terms immediately with Connor Ripley denying Chris Clements.

Zanzala was a nuisance though as he had a strike palmed away by Scott Flinders and minutes later the keeper raced out to deny him a clean shot on goal.

McConville's long range effort wasn't far off as Stanley looked for a second and it came in the 65^th minute.

Defender Jordon Forster brought down Zanzala in the area and Kee smashed home the penalty making it seven for the season.

Cheltenham replied when Clements found Addai who beat his marker and fired past Connor Ripley on 73 minutes.

It could have been a tense end but Clark rounded Flinders and found the back of the net to allow the Stanley management team to have some breathing space in the final 10 minutes of their 1,000^th game.