ACCRINGTON Stanley suffered their first league defeat of the season in the UniBond Premier as they stumbled at Westfield Lane.

The setback ended Accrington's run at 15 league games without a reversal and their problems were compounded by the sending off of defender Mark 'Carlo' Sertori.

However, Stanley had the best of the early chances and were unlucky after five minutes when Athletic's Remo Nesa lost the ball and Tony Black sprinted away to send over a deep cross which Simon Carden fired wide from 15 yards.

On 14 minutes former Liverpool player Mike Marsh hit a low shot just off target, but then the Blues hit back when Lee Morris cut the ball back to Nesa whose cross found Curtis Bernard but his shot was cleared off the line by Peter Cavanagh.

But, on 32 minutes, Frickley took the lead in controversial circumstances.

Bernard found himself in a good position but his shot was blocked by a Stanley defender.

The referee initially awarded a corner but, on talking to his assistant, he awarded a penalty for handball which Mark Hancock scored from.

Five minutes later Stanley's Sertori was given a yellow card for obstructing Bernard on the edge of the box and Frickley extended their lead from the resulting free-kick as Paul Marquis hit the back of the net after a goalmouth scramble following Hancock's initial effort.

However, Stanley were back in the hunt by half-time.

Right on 45 minutes Marquis was judged to have fouled as he blocked the run of Black into the box and the referee awarded a penalty which Cavanagh tucked away.

Accrington started the second half strongly. On 48 minutes Black blasted over after Marsh's free-kick was flicked on and then on the hour mark Black put a diving header over the bar.

But the league leaders were reduced to 10 men just a minute later.

Defender Sertori reacted to Morris's attempt to delay the taking of a Stanley free-kick and received a second yellow card. Morris also went into the referee's book.

On 71 minutes Frickley keeper Mark Samways did well to block a close range shot from Paul Mullin and then saved well again from a 20 yard free-kick struck by Cavanagh.

Mullin headed over from a corner with seven minutes left on the clock, but the Blues could have made the game safe on 87 minutes when Morris cut into the box from the left only for Carden to make a great saving tackle.

FRICKLEY ATHLETIC...2 ACCRINGTON...1