THE controversial sending off of central defender Jonathan Smith played a large part in costing the Reds the three points at Mart Lane in the UniBond Premier Division - and ending their 13 game unbeaten run.

The big defender was booked whilst acting as peacemaker between Stanley's Simon Carden and Burscough's Lee Furlong after the home man seemed to have twice head-butted Carden in an off-the-ball incident.

Smith was then sent off for a second bookable offence in the 20th minute. Ironically, Furlong received only a yellow card for the first incident.

Apart from the sending the first half was a pretty nondescript affair with Stanley containing the Burscough attack although Furlong did test Stanley's goalkeeper Jamie Speare early on but the Stanley man dived to his left to save comfortably.

Marvin Molyneux shot into the side netting shooting as Burscough looked to make the one man advatange count.

Steve Flitcroft, Carden and Paul Mullin combined to set up Russell Payne but he shot wide from 18 yards early in the game while Peter Cavanagh, Mullin and Lutel James worked an opening down the right, James crossing for Payne to head just wide.

Burscough brought on Dave Dugdale for Steve Leahey for the start of the second half a move that would prove crucial to the final result.

The Liverpool side pushed forward from the kick off having a lot of possession, but failing to hurt Stanley where it mattered.

In the 60th minute the Reds broke out of defence down the left and Flitcroft hit a superb 35 yard pass over the top of the defence to the back post for Carden to beat Burscough's goalkeeper Matthew Taylor from close range to give Stanley the lead.

Burscough again pushed forward but couldn't find any accuracy in front of goal until the 68th minute when the extra man began to put the Reds defence under more pressure,Tommy Molloy scoring at the back post to level the scores.

Carden then shot just over the bar before a made three minute spell whic saw Stanley fall behind, level and then fall behind again.

On 75 minutes, sub Dugdale scored from 20 yards when he chipped the ball over the advancing Speare after his pace took him away from the defence.

Sixty seconds later and the Reds were level at 2-2 with a brilliant individual goal from James who waltzed through the defence from the left to beat player after player before beating a packed defence and Taylor from 12 yards. Unbelievably Burscough scored again within a minute when substitute Dugdale scored his second at the back post.

Gary Williams was brought on for Payne in the 80th minute and he almost got Stanley back in, putting in an excellent cross that no one could get a foot in to score.

And, in the last action, James broke forward and but his goalbound shot was scrambled off the line by Molloy.

BURSCOUGH FC...3 Accrington Stanley...2

Accrington Stanley Youth v South Sefton tonight, 7.45pm kick at the Crown Ground in the Lancashire Youth Club.

Stanley face Conference side Leigh RMI in the quarter-final of the Marsden Trophy at the Crown Ground. The game will be in the first week in February.