ACCRINGTON Stanley picked up a creditable point at Adams Park to deny Wycombe Wanderers the chance to go top of League Two.

Goals from striker Terry Gornell and wide man Piero Mingoia had the Reds in front at 2-1 only for a deflection to force them to settle for a point.

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Manager John Coleman made an enforced change, with defender Dean Winnard returning from illness in place of the injured midfielder Andy Procter.

The Reds starting promisingly, with Gornell heading a Mingoia cross wide of the target inside two minutes.

The home side knew the stakes before the start and began to carve out chances as the half wore on.

Alfie Mawson and Sam Saunders were off target with efforts before Scott Davies thwarted Fred Onyedinma from close range and the ball ultimately dropped for Paul Hayes inside the area, only for him to shoot over the top.

Long serving Chairboys midfielder Matt Bloomfield went closer moments later with a powerful low effort held onto by Davies but this prompted a spell of pressure from the visitors, with Mingoia and Kal Naismith firing in a series of crosses that were repelled by the home defence.

But once Josh Windass had shot wide and had another strike blocked it was Wycombe who broke the deadlock. Davies again saved well for Onyedinma but the ball sprung to the right and was delivered for Sam Wood to head home from close range and make it 1-0.

Just when it seemed Coleman’s team talk at the break would constitute how to claw back a goal deficit, the Reds were level. One minute of added time in the first half was just enough for Sean Maguire to get beyond the defence down the right and centre low for Gornell to slide the ball into the net from close range.

After the interval the Reds again started brightly and tried to stop their hosts getting their rhythm. The excellent Mingoia crossed for Maguire at the far post but he couldn’t connect properly as they looked to take the early lead.

The only early alarm bell sounded when Saunders hit the post with a free kick but largely Stanley were on top and as the hour mark arrived they duly went in front.

As the ball arrived in the Wycombe box from the left, Maguire knocked it down to the edge of the box and Mingoia, who proceeded to smash in a half volley beyond Matt Ingram for his sixth goal of the season.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes though, with Gareth Ainsworth’s team levelling from a crowd scene at a set piece. The Reds attempted to clear a Saunders free kick but centre back Mawson got a shot away that deflected off a defender, looped into the sky and beyond Davies into the back of the net.

The Reds could have retaken the lead when Windass blasted a free kick from inside the D that Ingram spilled but wouldn’t fall to a red shirt and that was the last meaningful chance for the visitors.

That set up a late flurry of balls into the Stanley box as Wycombe looked to seal a late win but despite another Mawson strike deflected wide for a corner and plenty of pressure no goal was forthcoming as the Reds held out.

WYCOMBE: Ingram, Yennaris, Pierre, Mawson, Jacobson, Saunders, Bean, Bloomfield (Murphy 64), Wood, Hayes, Onyedinma (Holloway 64).

STANLEY: Davies, Jones (Conneely 90), Atkinson, Winnard, Crooks, Mingoia, Windass, Joyce, Naismith, Gornell, Maguire (Whitehead 75).