CHELTENHAM TOWN 0

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 2

Billy Kee 22, Kayden Jackson 62

GOOD things came in threes for Accrington Stanley at Cheltenham as they picked up a third successive win, a third clean sheet in a row and climbed up to third in League Two with a win over the Robins.

Billy Kee and Kayden Jackson scored the goals as the Reds took their chances well to punish the profligate Robins and win 2-0.

After victories over Grimsby and Chesterfield it was no surprise to see Reds boss John Coleman named an unchanged starting XI but the bench was bolstered by a quartet of new signings.

Stanley had the first sight of goal when Callum Johnson crossed from the right for Kee, who instead of notching a fifth goal in as many games guided his header wide.

Cheltenham were buoyed by a 4-1 hammering of Colchester in their last outing and applied plenty of pressure but were unable to find the finish.

Mohamed Eisa provided the most glaring miss as he raced onto Joe Morrell’s pass into the area but lashed high and wide before Aaron Chapman made a good save from a Kevin Dawson half volley.

It was against the run of play that Coleman’s team took the lead but the opening goal could hardly have been simpler. Captain Sean McConville picked out Kee with a corner and from just outside the six yard box the striker headed in his 16th of the season.

It could easily have been 17 shortly after when the same pair combined but Kee headed over.

Cheltenham’s quest for an equaliser before the break brought chances but more inefficient finishing, with debutant Elijah Adebayo heading wide and smashing a shot over the bar.

After the break Stanley imposed themselves more on proceedings, with Kee volleying over from a Jordan Clark cross as they looked to make a flying start to the second period.

Just after the hour mark they had their second goal.

With Cheltenham unhappy that Ben Richards-Everton wasn’t punished for a strong tackle, Jerell Sellars shot straight at Chapman and Stanley scored from his clearance.

Home defender Emmanuel Onariase won’t want to see the goal again, his feeble back header from Chapman’s kick presenting the ball to Jackson who slid it past Scott Flinders to make it 2-0.

The Reds could easily have extended their advantage after that, with McConville not able to provide the telling touch to a fine Jackson cross before Flinders was forced to turn a left foot effort from Clark over the bar.

The last 10 minutes brought Cheltenham pressure but even when they had the better of the Stanley defence they weren’t able to find the target with Eisa and sub Brian Graham both hitting the woodwork within the same move.

Janoi Donacien then cleared an effort from Harry Pell off the line after Chapman had failed to claim the ball but the visitors held out.

Since losing four league games in a row over Christmas, Stanley have now won three in a row conceding none and scoring nine.