ACCRINGTON Stanley put seven past Gillingham in an incredible 11-goal thriller at the Crown Ground this afternoon.

Stanley went ahead in the 13th minute in the League Two fixture when good work from Terry Gornell on the left resulted in the striker teeing up Sean McConville to fire home.

Gillingham levelled just before the hour mark as Mark Bentley's flicked header from a Jack Payne long throw sailed into the far corner, and the visitors were ahead only two minutes later as Bentley grabbed his second from Cody McDonald's lay-off.

But Andy Parkinson made it 2-2 in the 34th minute with a superb angled drive and Charlie Barnett put Stanley back in front two minutes before the interval as what appeared to be a cross from the right curled into the far corner.

Gillingham were back on level terms once more 10 minutes after the interval after McDonald's surging run ended with him dinking the ball over Ian Dunbavin.

But just two minutes later Stanley made it 4-3 as referee Iain Williamson awarded a penalty for a push on Andy Procter and Phil Edwards stepped up to score from the spot.

The centre back then converted a second penalty only five minutes later after Gornell had been felled.

Gornell then put Stanley 6-3 in front as he raced on to Jon Bateson's through ball and found the net.

Gillingham pulled a goal back after Dunbavin bizarrely dropped Edwards' back header and hauled down McDonald in his attempt to rescue the situation, with Adebayo Akinfenwa scoring from the spot.

A fracas broke out late on after Jimmy Ryan reacted to a challenge from Payne. Bentley and Stanley assistant manager Jimmy Bell became embroiled in the scuffle and the Gillingham man was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence, while Bell was sent from the dugout.

But the match ended on a high as Stanley scored a seventh in stoppage time, with Ryan brilliantly firing into the far corner.

Stanley: Ian Dunbavin; Jon Bateson, Phil Edwards, Sean Hessey,Dean Winnard; Charlie Barnett, Andy Procter; Andy Parkinson (Peter Murphy 90), Jimmy Ryan, Sean McConville (Chris Turner 83); Terry Gornell (Craig Lindfield 90). Subs not used: Alex Cisak, Leam Richardson, Luke Joyce, Rory Boulding.

Gillingham: Lance Cronin; Barry Fuller, Josh Gowling (Tony Sinclair 74), Matt Lawrence, Chris Palmer; Mark Bentley, Curtis Weston (Dennis Oli 67), Jack Payne, Danny Spiller; Adebayo Akinfenwa, Cody McDonald. Subs not used: Alan Julian, Stefan Payne, Luke Rooney, Kevin Maher, Bruce Inkango.

Referee: Iain Williamson.

Attendance: 1,933.