Alex Henderson, Tommy Leigh and Joe Pritchard were on target as Accrington Stanley came from behind to celebrate an impressive 3-1 win at Newport County.
It was a strong performance from the Reds who were clinical with Jack Nolan playing a part with two assists.
It was John Doolan’s second win as full-time Stanley boss and moved the Reds up to 17th place in League Two – for County it was a fifth successive defeat and the game ended in controversy with a disallowed goal and a sending off for Newport.
Captain Seamus Conneely returned to the starting line-up for the Reds after injury – the only change to the starting XI from the goalless draw with Crewe on Saturday.
Stanley started brightly, pressing the County defence, with Ben Woods having a long-range shot saved by ex-Red Jonny Maxted in the Newport goal.
However the home side struck first on 13 minutes when, on the break, Harry Charsley burst forward and set up Bryn Morris 20 yards out and he rifled a shot beyond Radek Vitek.
Stanley levelled with their own counter-attack, Nolan receiving the ball and playing in the perfect cross for Henderson to head home from close range on 22 minutes. It was the teenager’s fourth goal of the campaign.
Shaun Whalley fizzed an effort wide just after while Leigh, in the six-yard box, couldn’t find the target from a Nolan cross.
Nolan continued to put dangerous balls into the box and a Brad Hills leaping header was cleared off the line.
The Reds were pressing towards the end of the first half but couldn’t take advantage to go in ahead.
However they soon changed that when, on 46 minutes, Ben Woods played the ball into Leigh with his back to goal and he fired home on the turn. It was his first goal since December and his seventh goal of the campaign.
Stanley continued to look a threat with Nolan continuing to put balls into the box, Henderson making strong runs and Leigh causing problems up front.
Nolan had a great chance to get on the scoresheet on 56 minutes when Leigh passed to him unmarked in the box but he couldn’t find the target.
Doolan made a triple substitution on 66 minutes with Matt Lowe, Dan Martin and Joe Pritchard entering the fray.
And Stanley made it three on 67 minutes with another Nolan ball in finding Whalley charging in at the far post and he got there before Maxted with Joe Pritchard tapping the ball over the goalline. Whalley celebrated but the goal was given to Pritchard.
The Reds had more chances to make it four through Martin, Pritchard and Nolan although Vitek did well to keep hold of a deflected Will Evans cross on 88 minutes.
Newport thought they had got one back through substitute Luke Jephcott in the 91st minute but it was ruled off-side and the Exiles were reduced to ten-men when Adam Lewis was sent off in the 96th minute after a melee.
It was a much-needed win for Stanley – after four games without a victory -as they look ahead to the final four games of the campaign.
Stanley: Vitek, O’Brien, Hills, Gubbins (Quirk), Shipley, Conneely (Martin), B Woods, Nolan, Henderson (Pritchard), Whalley, Leigh (Lowe)
Subs: McIntyre, Patrick, J Woods
Crowd: 3201
