Eastwood Town 1 Accrington Stanley 7

STANLEY were in seventh heaven after a brilliant display at Eastwood Town left them only six points behind second placed Burscough with two games in hand, as the first division promotion race hotted up.

The Reds had record signing Liam Watson making his debut as did goalkeeper John Mohan, in place of the suspended Jamie Speare but it was Russell Payne who stole the show by netting four times.

Accrington dominated from the start and there was a flurry of three goals in the space of four minutes as the Reds took the lead after 24 minutes. Mark Shirley played a superb ball to Payne who beat one defender and then slotted the ball beyond the advancing keeper Richard Parkin.

Eastwood equalised straight after when Jay Flannery failed to clear the danger and Nick Kennerdale fired beyond Mohan.

Steve Hollis restored Stanley's lead on 27 minutes when from a direct free kick some 22 yards out he struck a pile-driver that Parkin could only watch as the ball flew past him.

The game then had to be halted for 16 minutes following an injury to the referee Mr Pashley, who was replaced by one of his assistants. Within two minutes of the game restarting Stanley increased their lead as another excellent pass by Shirley found Payne, who controlled the ball well, cut inside his marker Gary Mercer and placed the ball past Parkin.

In the second half Eastwood substitute Andy Todd struck a long range free kick at Mohan, who was rarely troubled. Eastwood frustrated the game by continually playing a blatant offside trap but Stanley finally got the better of it on 71 minutes as John Doolan's long ball found Payne wide on the left, his pace took his past the static Eastwood defence and he blasted in his third goal to make it 4-1.

Eight minutes later Mark Ceraolo netted his 16th goal of the season, beating the offside trap to latch onto a through ball from Flannery to score.

Payne turned into a goal stopper in the 84th minute when he cleared a fierce shot by Jay Bonser off his own goal line.

Two minutes later he became the second Stanley player this season to hit four goals in a game, keeper Mahon started the attack with a quick throw out and Payne got the ball on the halfway line, raced past the weary Eastwood defence and fired home Stanley's six goal, which was his 11th of the season.

In the last minute Stanley substitute Jimmy Bell crossed from the right, Bonser handled in the penalty area and Doolan stepped up to make no mistake from the spotkick to complete the rout.

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