Town: David Button, Joe Skarz, Terry Dunfield, Craig Disley (Steve Leslie 46), Kelvin Langmead (c), David Hibbert, Jake Robinson (Jon Taylor 75), Lewis Neal (Kris Bright 65), Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Kevin McIntyre, Danny Taylor

Subs: Kris Bright, Paul Murray, Steve Leslie, Harry Hooman, Chris Neal, Jon Taylor, Tom Bradshaw

Accrington: Dean Bouzanis, Darren Kempson, Andrew Proctor (c), John Miles,
Luke Joyce, Bobby Grant, Phil Edwards, James Ryan, Dean Winard, Michael Symes (Billy Kee 90), Tom Lees

Subs: Billy Kee, Sean McConville, John Mullin, Peter Murphy, Gary King, Ian Dunbavin, John Flynn

Referee: Patrick Miller (Bedfordshire)
Assistant Referee (yellow): K Hayward
Assistant Referee (plain): A Scregg
Fourth Official: S Barrow

Attendance: 5319 (136)

Paul Simpson is forced into one change to his starting line-up with Danny Taylor coming in to replace Dean Holden who has failed to shake off an injury. There is a new face on the bench with youth team striker Tom Bradshaw drafted into the squad and makes his first appearance on the bench.

The ground staff had worked hard to get a small amount of snow from the Prostar pitch to allow the game to kick off. The weather had changed and there was brilliant sunshine trying to push the temperature up when the game kicked off.

Town had the best of the opening attacking play with Dave Hibbert causing a number of problems for the Accrington defence.Town's best chance though came from Hibbert's strike partner Jake Robinson whose pace took him in behind the visitors defence but his shot was easily collected by Bouzanis in the Stanley goal.

Town had a great chance to grab the lead on 13 minutes when a clearance from Skarz saw Hibbert climb well to flick on, it was actually Hibbert who got on the end of his own ball and he thing dinked a lovely ball to put Robinson in on goal, he took the ball past Bouzanis but the angle he'd made was just a little too tight and he hit the ball into the side netting.

Stanley were having some good periods of pressure around the Town goal and made a big shout for a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Danny Taylor but ref Miller saw nothing wrong.Dave Button made a couple of important takes in the air but did lose the ball once when Luke Joyce jumped into him but Langmead was there to clear the danger.

It was the visitors who grabbed the lead on 25 minutes after a slip in the Town defence.The ball was stabbed into towards Bobby Grant but Cansdell-Sherriff looked to have it cleared, he stopped the ball but didn't connect with his clearance and this allowed Grant to get a shot in which flew wide of Button's dive to make it 1-0.

Town were pushing to get back onto level terms but just seemed to lack that little spark to unlock the Stanley defence.There was good possession for the home side but when they got near to the visitors goal their defence were holding strong.It was actually the visitors who were looking the more likely to score but Town were digging deep and getting in the important tackles and blocks when it mattered.

Half-time: 0-1

The second half started with a Town substitution that saw Steve Leslie come on to replace Craig Disley.

Town were nearly on level terms second after the restart when a free-kick was floated into the Accrington box, the ball eluded everyone other than Cansdell-Sherriff who ghosted in and he got in a great diving header but Bouzanis was equal to it with an excellent tip around the post.

It was proving to be a frustrating half for Town, they were working hard to break down Stanley and create openings but weren't getting too many clear cut openings but as the half drew on they were getting closer to the equaliser.Dave Hibbert was busy and helping to create a number of openings and win corners.From one of these corners the ball came out to Lewis Neal, he looped a shoot over Bouzanis but there was a defender on the line to head clear.Hibbert went close on a number of occasions, the best when Steve Leslie whipped over a cross that Hibbert was inches from getting his head to.

Town were continuing to test Bouzanis in the Stanley goal with first Hibbert driving in a low shot to his near post and then Bright latching onto a Skarz through ball but on both occasions the Stanley keeper was equal to it.At the other end Dave Button had to stay alert as Stanley were getting their own sights on goal, the best when Luke Joyce found himself in space to get on the end of the Button stop but the Town keeper pulled off an even better stop to deny from point blank range.

Once again Town's opponents were reduced to 10 men when Stanley captain Andrew Proctor was shown a second yellow.He had picked up a soft yellow in the first half but when Kris Bright turned him on the half way line and went to run in on goal Proctor clearly pulled back Bright and ref Miller had no option than to produce a second yellow.

Full-time: 0-1