ACCRINGTON Stanley's second qualifying round fixture saw them face Pickering Town who were going into the game undefeated in 21 previous league and cup games.

Both sides made a cautious start with Pickering having more of the possession in the early stages of the game, but not really troubling the Reds too much. Stanley came more into the game after 10 minutes when Paul Mullin laid the ball off to Lutel James, the Stanley front man shooting wide of the right post from 15 yards.

Then, Pickering's centre half Andrew Thornton cleared a dangerous through ball intended for Mullin. On 24 minutes Mullin was fouled on the left touchline and Stanley midfield player Steve Flitcroft floated a perfect free kick into the penalty area for the big striker, who initially got his head to the ball, allowed it to run down his body and struck it from 12 yards to the left of goalkeeper Adam Mitchell to give the Reds the lead.

Pickering came back at Stanley and a right sided cross from right back Andy McMillan was chested down by Joe Connor. Stanley right back Paul Howarth hooking the ball clear before Connor could get his shot in. Thornton, the Pickering centre half, played an excellent through ball down the middle, but Jamie Speare was out of his goal to gather the ball and snuff out the danger.

Peter Cavanagh then put in a timely tackle to rob the lively Stephan Zoll of the ball. The Stanley full back then setting up James with a long clearance but Mitchell was down to gather the ball in the nick of time.

Cavanagh then had to head back to Speare under pressure from Pickering forward Dean McCauley as the home side pushed forward again trying to catch the Reds out at the back post.

Stanley then had a spell where they won several corners, but did not take advantage as they should have done.

Substitute Steve Hollis replaced Jonathan Smith on 36 minutes, the big centre half injuring his back in a challenge for the ball. Hollis moved to left back, Cavanagh switching to the right and Howarth moving to centre half in place of Smith. James had a golden opportunity to increase Stanley's lead when he broke clear of the defence, ran into the area on the right and hit a powerful shot on the run from six yards, but Mitchell got the whole of his body behind the ball and made an excellent save.

At the other end Hollis cut out a Simon Sturdy cross and then Speare did well to catch a Zoll header, again from Sturdy's cross. Carden had Mitchell at full stretch as Stanley troubled Pickering and then an excellent through ball from James just ran away from Mullin with the striker breaking clear of his marker.

Pickering left back Tom Reid was replaced by Gavin Dickinson as the teams came out for the second half. Stanley attacked from the restart and a Mullin shot on the turn from 18 yards made Mitchell make an excellent diving save to the left. The goalkeeper was well beaten on 51 minutes when from another Flitcroft cross, the unmarked Mullin rose and directed his header into the bottom left hand corner of the net with Mitchell rooted to the spot.

David Robinson was replaced by Mark Brennan on 53 minutes as Stanley looked to contain Pickering down the middle. Stanley attack again but James couldn't get a shot in, Thornton clearing the ball with the striker outnumbered by defenders. Mark Wood replaced Stephan Zoll as Pickering looked to push more men forward, but Stanley were containing them.

Phil O'Reilly replaced centre forward Adam Nash on 66 minutes. The home side immediately won a free kick 10 yards inside Stanley's half when Jay Flannery was penalised for a foul on Danny Farthing.

McMillan's free kick was floated from the right to the back post where Mark Wood rose above the defence to head the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net reducing the deficit to 2-1 on 67 minutes.

Play went end to end now and both Speare and Hollis hit balls out of the ground to give the Stanley defence a breather. Then the Reds got forward and a Brett Baxter cross from the right was headed just wide of the post by Carden. Pickering's Dickinson headed wide from Wood when he could have done better. Another McMillan free kick found Wood 25 yards out from goal and he shot through the Stanley defence, Speare diving to his right to save after seeing the ball late. Stanley manager John Coleman replaced man of the match Paaul Mullin on 86 minutes.

Jay Flannery headed the ball clear with Pickering again pushing forward.

Into injury time at the end of the game, Speare was felled as he rose for a dangerous Cross, dropping the ball and but for the quick thinking of Steve Hollis, who charged the ball down from a goalbound shot with the defence stood and watiing for the referee's whistle, then the Reds may have been facing a replay instead of a draw for the next round.

RESULT: PICKERING TOWN...1 ACCRINGTON STANLEY...2

Accrington's next game is at home to Worksop Town on Wednesday, kick off 7.45pm.