SHAY McCartan is delighted to be off the mark for Accrington Stanley this season after putting the icing on the cake for the Reds in a demolition of York City on Saturday.

The Northern Ireland Under-21 international lashed home a stunning fifth goal in a 5-1 win that moved John Coleman’s side back up to fourth in League Two and made it five wins out of six.

The former Burnley youngster had been restricted to just 52 minutes in five substitute appearances before he came off the bench midway through the second half on Saturday.

And it took McCartan until two minutes from the end to net his eighth goal for the club.

“Personally it’s good to get over the mark, I haven’t played a lot of football this year,” he said.

“As the gaffer said we didn’t really play that well, so it’s a good sign if you’re winning 5-1 and not playing that well.”

McCartain revealed that his instructions from assistant manager Jimmy Bell when coming off the substitutes bench were fairly simple.

“Every time I come off the bench Jimmy tells me to run until the net hits me in the face,” said the former Hyde loanee.

“I’ve slowed up a bit and hit it with my left foot. I didn’t see it go in because I was lying in the ground but as soon as it left my foot and I saw what direction it was going in I knew it was in the back of the net.

“It’s up there as one of my best, but my goal for Ireland was probably a bit better. The one on Saturday was a bit lucky because I’ve just hit it and it’s gone in.

“It’s good to get off the mark and get three points.”

Coleman said his side could play even better after watching them win in North Yorkshire, but the victory made it six games unbeaten with 17 goals scored during that period.

And McCartan, who admits he can have no complaints with being unable to force his way into the side at the minute given Stanley’s firepower in front of goal, said the dressing room was full of confidence at the moment.

“I’ve been here three years and I’ve said to the boys this is the best team I’ve been involved in in a long time,” he said.

“Going into games everyone believes we’re going to win and I’ve never had that feeling before in the dressing room.

“I went to watch United against PSV on Tuesday and I said I’d rather watch us play than United, it’s frightening some of the football we’re playing. Everyone knows what each other is doing.

“There’s not a lot of teams, maybe bar Exeter, who play the way we do where we pass it around. Everywhere we go fans clap us and they respect the football we play.”