ACCRINGTON Stanley hold an interval lead against 10-men Rochdale in a heated League Two derby at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

The visitors were firmly in control early on, with Glenn Murray going closest on five minutes with an overhead kick that fizzed just wide of the upright.

But the visitors were reduced to 10 men on the 20-minute mark when midfielder David Perkins was rightly dismissed for a horrible studs-up lunge on Jay Harris.

It proved to be a real turning point, and Stanley took the lead just two minutes later with a sumptuous free-kick from Ian Craney.

Nathan Stanton fouled Paul Mullin 25 yards out and Craney took full advantage with a fantastic strike into the top corner.