STANLEY extended their unbeaten run to 11 games with a fine win over Cambridge United.

In-form duo Sean McConville and Shay McCartan did the damage with a goal in each half as the Reds cut the gap to the play-off places to seven points with an impressive 2-0 win.

Stanley were unchanged from the side which drew 1-1 with Grimsby at the weekend, with Aaron Chapman keeping his place in goal with Marek Rodak not back from international duty.

Cambridge were forced to make a change after the warm-up, with former Red Mark Roberts coming in for Blackburn loanee Scott Wharton.

The Reds started brightly in wet conditions at the Wham Stadium, with Omar Beckles heading narrowly wide from a McConville cross inside the first 10 minutes and McCartan hammering a shot over the top.

Cambridge’s Luke Berry arrived with 17 goals for the season and went close to adding to that with an effort deflected behind for a corner before being booked for simulation inside the Stanley box.

But the Reds went in front after 19 minutes, with Matty Pearson crossing from the left, Billy Kee heading into the path of Jordan Clark and the wideman able to tee up McConville to net his sixth goal of the season from inside the 18 yard box.

Cambridge looked to turn the screw in response but for all their pressure struggled to create clear chances.

Instead Stanley went close again, with Harvey Rodgers delivering an inviting cross from the right and McConville getting his head to the ball only to find the hands of goalkeeper Will Norris.

As the half progressed more of the attention was focused in the Stanley half of the pitch but John Coleman’s team made it to half time with their noses deservedly in front.

After the interval, and a spell of U’s pressure, the Reds scored with the first meaningful attack. Kee showed awareness to collect the ball and thread McCartan into the area and the Northern Irishman obliged with a superb cool finish beyond Norris to bag his fourth goal in three matches in the past seven days.

Once again the visitors pressed for a way back into the game but Chapman was largely untroubled as his defence repelled everything Shaun Derry’s team had to offer.

Instead the hosts improved as the half wore on, with McConville and McCartan both going close to adding to their tally before Kee latched onto a pass from Pearson and forced a good save from Norris.

Former Stanley defender Brad Halliday went close late on with a strike just wide, but Chapman’s goal remained unbreached and the Reds continued both their excellent recent run and an unbeaten spell at home stretching the whole calendar year so far.

Stanley: Chapman, Rodgers, Beckles, Hughes, Donacien, Clark, Husin, Pearson, McConville, McCartan, Kee