SHAY McCartan may have been denied the chance to build on his goal at Exeter City when Accrington Stanley’s clash with Bury was postponed on Friday night, but the forward is loving life at the Store First Stadium.

McCartan netted in Stanley’s 2-1 win at Exeter last weekend and would have been hoping to retain his place in the starting line-up on Friday night, when Stanley were scheduled to host Bury in another League Two fixture.

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A waterlogged pitch put paid to that match but McCartan is still on a high after an encouraging season with the Reds.

The 20-year-old scored only once last season in his first campaign since joining Stanley following his release by fellow East Lancashire side Burnley, struggling for regular game time under then manager James Beattie, but he has already netted five times this term.

“I am loving it,” McCartan said. “I was speaking to someone just the other day and saying that this is the most I am enjoying my football because I am playing.

“I might be not be starting every game but I know I am involved and coming on at some stage.

“It’s brilliant.”

McCartan is a Northern Ireland Under-21 inter–national and there has been a real Irish influence at Stanley this season.

John O’Sullivan may have recently returned to Blackburn Rovers following his temporary spell with the Reds, but Sean Maguire remains on loan from West Ham United and Seamus Conneely has now arrived from Sligo Rovers.

“I know John has now returned to Blackburn but I think having Seani and John here and us all being Irish has helped me,” McCartan said. “The average age of the squad is also only 23/24 so everyone gets on well.

“It’s funny as I have never played alongside another Seamus before and Seamus Conneely said he hadn’t either. It isn’t a common name in Ireland even though everyone seems to think it is!”

McCartan is now joint top scorer with James Gray but admits he owed a lot to winger Lee Molyneux for his goal at Exeter.

Molyneux delivered the left-wing cross for the goal but has now returned to Crewe at the end of his current loan spell.

“Moly said it was a ‘buffet’ ball – he means help yourself – and it was a great ball in and I couldn’t miss to be honest!” said McCartan.

“We have some players with wicked left feet at the club like Moly, Kal (Naismith) and Lidz (Michael Liddle).

“There has been banter flying around between me and James Gray about the goals but it’s all good natured. To be honest, though, it’s irrelevant to me who scores as long as the team is winning.”

“What we need it a run of three or four wins to get among the play-offs and stay there.”