TEAM NEWS: New signing Billy Kee was forced to settle for a place on the substitutes’ bench as Burton Albion boss Paul Peschisolido named an unchanged side for the trip to the Crown Ground.
Kee was signed from Torquay United on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee on Thursday but was made to wait for his debut as Peschisolido stuck with the side that won 1-0 at Southend United the previous week.
STANLEY (4-2-3-1): Murdoch; Winnard, Hessey, Long, McIntyre; Proctor (capt) Joyce; Fletcher, Craney, Coid; Amond; subs: Dunbavin, Lindfield, Barnett, Murphy, Moult.
BREWERS (4-4-2): Atkins; Corbett, James, Austin, Webster; Palmer, Bolder, McGrath (capt), Maghoma; Zola, Richards; subs: Poole (gk), Moore, Blanchett, Phillips, Kee.
HALF-TIME: The Brewers had a great chance to take the lead on three minutes when a miskick by a defender fell to striker Justin Richards 20 yards out.
He played the ball square to midfielder Jacques Maghoma, but his low shot across goal was palmed away by home keeper Sean Murdoch.
The hosts responded in the 14th minutes when a throw-in from the right fell to midfielder Wes Fletcher, who benefited from a fortunate ricochet or two inside the Brewers’ penalty area, but his low shot was blocked by the outstretched leg of keeper Ross Atkins.
The visitors were creating the better of the chances and after left-back Aaron Webster had fired a low 20-yard free-kick wide of the near post, right winger Chris Palmer sent in a near-post cross on 27 minutes.
Richards got a touch to it, forcing Murdoch to tip the effort away.
Albion broke the deadlock on 39 minutes when midfielder Adam Bolder played a superb ball through to Richards, who had held his run to perfection to beat the offside trap before drawing Murdoch and slotting home.
The visitors almost responded immediately but Fletcher’s volley was straight at Atkins.
Midfielder Kevin McIntyre then tried his luck for the hosts but although his low free-kick from 30 yards went through the wall, it was straight at Atkins.
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0, BURTON ALBION 1
FULL TIME: The Brewers started the second half well, mounting a swift break three minutes in which ended with Maghoma firing in an effort on the turn from the left corner of the area which was tipped over the bar by Murdoch.
The hosts were inches away from getting back on level terms on 59 minutes when a long punt forward saw debutant striker Padraig Amond get the better of right-back Andy Corbett.
His cross was not cleared by the Brewers and eventually fell to midfielder Danny Coid, whose effort rebounded to safety off the inside of the far post.
Peschisolido made his first change in the 69th minute, with Jimmy Phillips on for Palmer., with Maghoma switching to the right.
However, Stanley drew level three minutes later after Bolder had scythed down McIntyre.
Central defender Sean Hessey took the free-kick from out on the left, whipping in it to the near post, where right-back Dean Winnard flicked it past Atkins.
That prompted Peschisolido to send on Kee for his debut against his former club in place of Zola.
However, the hosts went in front with nine minutes to go when a long ball forward by Winnard released Fletcher in the box on the right and he held off centre-back Ryan Austin before firing a low shot past Atkins and into the far corner.
Albion had a chance in the 85th minute when Kee went scampering down the right and crossed to the far post.
Phillips cut inside but, with the keeper well of his line, he fired wide of the target.
ACCRINGTON STANLEY 2, BURTON ALBION 1
