ACCRINGTON Stanley transformed from a horror show to showstoppers to end Margate's unbeaten away run.

The Reds have prided themselves on a robust rearguard. But, on Saturday, their normally solid defence went to pieces in the first half to let a deserved lead slip and leave them trailing at 2-1 at half-time.

After taking the lead through Lutel James' excellent finish on 17 minutes, Manny Omoyimni soon got the visitors back on level terms.

The Nigerian, on loan from Third Division Oxford United, was a real livewire for Margate and caused endless problems for central defenders Jonathan Smith and Robbie Williams in the opening half.

The striker latched on to Terry McFlynn's throughball, which carved open the Stanley defence. Smith had failed to clear the ball, McFlynn took advantage to release Omoyinmi, who burst into the box after Williams failed to stick tightly enough to him.

Jon Kennedy raced off his line in an attempt to give the loanee fewer options, but Omoyimni coolly rounded the Stanley keeper and slotted the ball into an empty net.

Then, before the Reds had barely had time to conjure a new plan of action, they had been put on the back foot. McFlynn's volley from the left hand edge of the box was deflected off Peter Cavanagh and superbly tipped away by Kennedy before being flicked off the head of Smith.

Williams then attempted an overhead kick at the far post but still the ball wasn't cleared.

Greg Oates picked the ball up just inside the area, Steve Hollis was slow to cover and Oates slipped the ball underneath Kennedy and into the back of the net.

It could easily have got much worse for Stanley as Omoyinmi skipped past Williams and squared the ball for Che Stadhart. Kennedy came off his line once more to close him down, Stadhart skipped past him but then shot wide of an empty net.

Hollis tried to make an impact at the opposite end but his drive from just outside the box was always rising. Smith then forced a save from Phil Smith with his firm header as the defenders looked to make up for their frailities by carving out chances.

But it was a much different story in the second half.

James, who had displayed his attacking prowess from a different angle after again being placed on the right flank, was prominent - with striker Brian Welch earning his first start of the season alongside Paul Mullin.

Within a minute of the re-start, James had tested the Margate stopper. Then the former Bury front man, who had squeezed home Stanley's opener from the tightest of angles with the outside of his right boot, tried a cross-shot which Smith spilled but Margate managed to clear.

But James was soon celebrating his second of the afternoon from the most unlikely of chances - a header.

Cavanagh launched a free kick forward from close to the halfway line, Smith headed the ball back across goal and James thumped it into the top left hand corner from close range.

John Durnin replaced Welch just before the hour mark and, within five minutes the former Tranmere and Port Vale striker had fired Stanley back in front.

Andy Procter showed great strength and determination to steal the ball from Oates and power forward before unselfishly sliding the ball square for Durnin to just beat James to the ball and slam it into the roof of the net.

Durnin could have had a hat-trick as Stanley threw everything at Margate, who had their work cut out in trying to hang on to their impressive early season away record.

The 36-year-old curled a shot just wide of the angle from the left of the box before combining with James to release Mullin. But while the Stanley striker's first touch was good, he couldn't get enough power onto his shot and the ball rolled straight to Smith.

Margate made a couple of changes in a bid to freshen things up and replace tired legs, with Ian Pulman coming on for Stadhart and Tostao Kwashi for McFlynn. But Stanley had too much in the tank to squander their lead a second time.

Durnin, who had recovered from a bug in time to play on Saturday, saw a couple of gilt-edged chances go begging.

He readily admitted afterwards that, on another day, he might have had three or four.

But his single strike, added to James' double, was enough to pile misery on Margate, who had Jay Saunders sent off on 88 minutes for lashing out at Hollis, while extending Stanley's own unbeaten run to four games.

STANLEY 3

James 17, 54; Durnin 63

MARGATE 2

Omoyinmi 27, Oates 31

Interlink Express Stadium Att: 1,718