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Club News

Stanley 5 Plymouth 1

27 April 2019

Club News

Stanley 5 Plymouth 1

27 April 2019

Stanley secured League One football for next season in style with a 5-1 home win over Plymouth Argyle that saw Sean McConville bag a hat-trick and Billy Kee and Luke Armstrong also find the net.

A side showing one change to the one which had beaten Doncaster in midweek initially had to defend, with Yann Songo'o heading over the top from a Jamie Ness cross before Ness himself forced a good save from Jonny Maxted with a strike from the right inside the area.

John Coleman's team began to grow into things though and soon found themselves in front from then penalty spot. Jordan Clark was fouled in the box when sandwiched between two defenders and referee Craig Hicks gave the penalty. Kee stepped up and sent goalkeeper Matt Macey the wrong way to make it 1-0.

The Reds scorer went close moments later with a volley into the side netting before Graham Carey curled a strike narrowly over the bar at the other end.

Soon Stanley had a cushion though, thanks to McConville. The wide man was fouled on the edge of the D and took the resulting free kick himself with the strike taking a deflection beyond Macey and into the net.

And home supporters had better to come with a fine move culminating in a third goal just before half time. A Plymouth attack was well defended down the right and the Reds countered down the left with McConville feeding Dan Barlaser who crossed for Clark to lay the ball back to McConville with the number eleven making no mistake for 3-0.

A double change for the visitors at the break prompted a spell of early pressure after the break but soon on the break Stanley had a fourth. Clark held the ball up inside the area and laid it off to McConville on the edge of the box and he bent in a beauty for his third and the team's fourth.

Armstrong was leading the line well but found himself thwarted by a block from Gary Sawyer inside the box as he looked to add to his goal tally.

But the Middlesbrough loanee didn't have to wait long as he capped another good move soon after. The striker held the ball up on the halfway line and found Clark who picked out McConville. He had the presence of mind to pick out Armstrong who galloped into the box and shot past Macey and into the net.

A first clean sheet since January looked on the cards when Mark Hughes cleared a goal bound header off the line until stoppage time when sub Alex Fletcher made a fine run down the left and squeezed an effort in which deflected off Hughes, past Maxted and in at the far post.

Ultimately though the Reds had done the hard work and the emphatic win guarantees third tier football for a second campaign.


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