ACCRINGTON STANLEY new boy Dean Calcutt was double trouble for Frickley Athletic yesterday.
The man dubbed the 'bad boy' because of his tendency to get sent off last season - he received three red cards although the last one was overturned - scored two in the Reds' win over their UniBond Premier League rivals.
The Reds, currently topping the UniBond Premier League, had countless chances to put the game at the Crown Ground beyond Athletic's reach but put themselves under pressure by allowing the visitors back into it.
It was the perfect start for the Reds when they were awarded a penalty for hand ball after just four minutes.
Lutel James stepped up to take the spot kick but, like against Marine on Saturday, the goalkeeper saved it. However, Calcutt, a £5,000 buy from Bradford Park Avenue at the start of the season, was first to pounce and he fired home the rebound past Mark Wilkinson.
Striker James was causing all kinds of problems with his pace but Frickley frontman Paul Clarke was also lively, testing the Stanley back four.
Frickley almost levelled on 18 minutes, Lee Morris getting his head to a Chris Gowen cross ahead of Steve Halford but he fired wide.
The next 20 minutes however was the Stanley show as they threatened with wave after wave of attacks.
James played a fantastic ball in from the left which Paul Mullin just failed to get to while Mullin got his head to a Russell Payne cross which Wilkinson prevented from hitting the top corner.
Then James weaved some of his magic on the right on 33 minutes and played in a brilliant ball which Calcutt, on his home debut, cannoned home from five yards out.
The winger then turned provider firing in a tremendous cross from the left which James just failed to get his head to and Mullin missed by inches.
Then, on 40 minutes, Stanley were stunned when they only cleared the ball as far as skipper Mark Hancock who volleyed home on the edge of the area.
And while the Reds were still coming to terms with that, Morris should have done better when clean through but finished with a wild shot to spare the Reds' blushes.
John Coleman's side came out on fire in the second half, Halford and Jonathan Smith pressing forward as much as possible as they looked to build up a cushion.
Smith set up Payne in the area, the winger's shot hit the post and the tall defender then had another go but, from five yards out, ballooned the effort over.
Calcutt played in some great balls from the left wing but the Reds failed to get on the end of them.
And then Frickley came close to upsetting the Stanley crowd, Gowen's free kick shaving Speare's post.
It was a lucky let-off for Stanley and they will know they will have to up a gear when they travel to fellow title challengers Harrogate on Saturday followed by promotion chasing Vauxhall Motors at the Crown Ground a week on Wednesday.
ACCRINGTON STANLEY...2 FRICKLEY...1
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