TEN-MAN Accrington Stanley extended their Football League unbeaten run against Morecambe with a terrific 1-1 draw at the Globe Arena.

The Reds played over a half of the game with a man short after Terry Gornell was red carded, but ended strongly and might even have ended their seven-match wait for a win.

A Stanley side showing two changes started much the brighter of the two teams, with John Coleman’s men on the front foot early on.

The Reds were denied an opening goal by one of their former players as Shay McCartan lofted the ball goalwards but ex-Stanley defender Mark Hughes raced back to hook the ball off the line.

Despite the bright opening it was the Reds who saw their keeper make the first telling save of the encounter.

Jack Redshaw was threaded in down the left and got a low shot away only for his former team mate Scott Davies to divert the ball out for a corner.

Jamie Devitt soon fired a free kick over the bar, but Stanley thought they had the lead when Josh Windass burst down the right and cross for Gornell, who pulled the trigger only for the ball to clatter back off the bar.

The home side made the visitors pay, taking the lead when Kevin Ellison diverted a Ryan Edwards header from Devitt’s corner beyond Davies and into the back of the net.

But the lead lasted just three minutes as Morecambe failed to repel a ball into the box and Lloyd Jones lobbed home his first goal in Stanley colours, though whether he intended to shoot or cross is open to debate.

The derby became tetchier and tetchier and both Stanley boss Coleman and Morecambe goalkeeping coach Lee Jones were sent to the stands after a flare-up in the technical area.

Stanley could have gone in front soon after, with Danny Ward saving from Jones and Shaun Beeley sparing his keeper’s blushes when he spilled a Windass shot.

Stanley’s numbers were soon reduced further and this time on the field.

Gornell’s tackle on Laurence Wilson was badly timed and ugly an referee Eddie Ilderton showed the striker a straight red card.

The second half pitched the Reds into a backs against the wall start and the odds became further stacked against them in the 55th minute.

Ellison threw himself to the floor in the box under minimal contact from Crooks and the referee awarded the penalty. Former Red Laurence Wilson stepped up and blazed the spot kick over the bar.

After that, Coleman’s men were the better side, despite their numerical disadvantage.

A free kick dropped to Sean Maguire, who was thwarted by a succession of defenders before Windass drove over the cross bar.

Jim Bentley threw on a succession of forward players but couldn’t break through, with a portion of the frustrated home crowd greeting the full time whistle with boos as Morecambe’s wait for a league win edged towards a decade.