SIMON CARDEN hit four for Accrington Stanley in the 5-1 drubbing of Droylsden.

Stanley were on top from the kick off with Mark Shirley and Lutel James combining well on the left before Simon Carden mis-hit James's pass and Paul Phillips, the Droylsden goalkeeper, gathered comfortably.

Droylsden's centre forward Nigel Evans gave UniBond Premier side Stanley a scare when he cut in from the right his shot bobbled over Jamie Speare centre half Jonathan Smith clearing the ball off the line.

Stanley's captain and right back Peter Cavanagh played a long ball forward down the right to James, the Reds' striker finding Carden with a perfect cross, Carden drove the ball home in the 12th minute to give Phillips no chance and putting Stanley 1-0 up.

Sixty seconds later and James Latched on to James Glendenning's attempted headed clearance from a deep diagonal cross from Paul Howarth, the Stanley striker cut in fron the left and drove the ball in at the near post to put Stanley 2-0 in the lead.

Steve Flitcroft got himself into a good possession, but shot over the bar before James did the same from a direct free kick.

Droylsden had their moments with Speare having to race out of goal and save at the feet of Evans. Carden and James linked well, but James shot just wide of the goal.

At the other end Wes Kinney picked up a long clearance from goalkeeper Phillips and ran to the edge of the Stanley area before hitting a curling shot against the far post.

Speare then made an excellent one-handed diving save to his right from Evans, Stanley got back on top with Phillips savind from James shot and a Smith header left back Mark Bradshaw deflected a goal-bound shot from Russell Payne as Stannley looked for the third goal.

Two minutes from half time the inevitable happened, Mark Shirley chipping the ball from the left of the six-yard box for Carden to head home through a packed defence.

Danny Warner replaced the injured Kinney at the start of the second half the home side pushed Stanley back and Robert Pell and Warner went close to scoring before James twice and Flitcroft had good efforts saved by Phillips.

Burns replaced Shirley on 64 minutes and on 65 minutes Carden received the ball from James in a central position 22 yards out with his back to goal.

He turned and in one movement unleashed a shot that flew past Phillips to complete his hat trick and Stanley's fourth.

Evans' shot from a long way out just missing the right post then Droylsden made a double substitute Lloyd Richardson and Troy Hayder replacing Evans and Ian Brunskill up front.

Stanley also replaced Flitcroft and Barrie Hart with Mark Brennan and fit-again Steve Hollis.

Stanley's fifth goal came when David Robinson flicked the ball over his head to Payne on the left and his cross was headed expertly into the net by Carden.

Robinson hit a powerful free kick from 18 yards that Phillips did well to push over the bar. Troy Hayder scored a consolation goal on 89 minutes.

RESULT: DROYLSDEN...1 ACCRINGTON STANLEY...5

ACCRINGTON STANLEY youth play Penlake St Helens tonight at the Crown Ground, 7.30pm kick off in a Lancashire Youth Cup game.