A LUTEL James hat-trick helped Accrington Stanley secure their place in the Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy.

In the wake of conceding late goals to lose at home to Dagenham and Redbridge and drawing at Woking after establishing a 2-0 lead, the semi-final with Radcliffe Borough was seen as a chance to kick-start the Reds for their important run-in to the end of the season.

But hearts sank when Boro centre forward Josh Mitten fired the UniBond Premier Division side ahead against the run of play.

However, Andy Gouck, Rory Prendergast and Lutel James did their bit to raise spirits at the Interlink Express Stadium to hand Stanley the chance to lift some silverware this season.

Radcliffe, with former Stanley player Simon Carden in the starting line-up, opened the scoring after 16 minutes after two successive defensive mix-ups by the Reds.

Jamie Speare made the initial save from rangy striker Mitten but couldn't keep hold of the ball and Mitten slotted in the rebound.

Before that Stanley had created the best chances, with James and Prendergast both going close.

It took John Coleman's men a while to recover from the shock of conceding, and they looked even more nervy as Mitten was allowed to burst into the area before crashing a shot against the post.

But Gouck eased the pressure as he drilled in James' cross to level before Prendergast spun inside the area and beat Danny Hurst to put Stanley ahead following sublime passing between Mullin and James.

James got his first of three goals in first-half injury time as he coolly rounded the keeper and rustled an empty net.

The striker picked up where he left off after the break and increased Stanley's cushion to three goals after beating the offside trap and finishing well past Hurst.

Central defender Simon Kelly pulled a goal back for Boro 10 minutes from time but James completed his hat-trick to make it 5-2 to the Reds.

Speare made a stunning double handed save from Karl Marginson and Mitten headed over the bar from the resulting corner as Boro pressed in the closing stages.

John Durnin was unlucky not to score with dipping lob before the visitors reduced the gap once more after Lee McEvilly stopped Paul Wheatcroft's shot on the line but Kelly slammed the ball into roof of the net.

But Prendergast ended the game on a high for Stanley to complete the scoring and set up a final with Nationwide Conference rivals Morecambe.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 6

Gouck 33; Prendergast 36, 90; James 45, 55, 82

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH 3

Mitten 16, Kelly 80, 90

ATTENDANCE: 669

STANLEY: Speare, McEvilly, Williams, Smith (Durnin 67), Hollis, Prendergast, Flitcroft, Gouck (Calcutt 59), Procter (for Cook 46), Prendergast, Mullin.

RADCLIFFE: Hurst, Kelly, Luker, Spencer (Wheatcroft 46), Battersby, Sampson, Marginson, Carden, Whealing, Foster, Mitten.