SEAN McConville’s first goal since returning to Accrington Stanley was enough to give the Reds a 1-0 win over Mansfield and a first three points of the season in an ill tempered affair at the Wham Stadium.

The former Chester man struck in the first half as the Reds kept a first league clean sheet since February.

Stanley made three changes to the side beaten at Morecambe at the weekend, with McConville, Adam Buxton and Billy Kee coming into the starting eleven.

The home team made a handful of early openings, with Josh Windass seeing a shot blocked by Ryan Tafazolli before the midfielder and team mate Matt Crooks were unable to connect with a Kee cross from the right.

In truth it was a low key affair with neither side creating clear chances as Reggie Lambe and Malv Benning were off target for the visitors looking to break the deadlock.

There were isolated moments of alarm for Stanley keeper Jason Mooney who misjudged a clearance when racing from his goal only for Tom Davies to intervene and clear before the Northern Irishman made a routine save from a deflected Chris Beardsley shot.

It was the 33rd minute before a goal arrived, with McConville netting in Stanley colours for the first time since leaving the club in 2011. The wideman picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and advanced, getting a strike away which took a deflection on the edge of the box and diverted into the right corner of the net leaving former Burnley keeper Brian Jensen with no chance.

The goal brought a lift in John Coleman’s side’s mood, with Kee shooting low at Jenson and Windass seeing a strike diverted narrowly wide before the break.

After the interval the Reds looked more comfortable, with only a fine save from Jensen at his near post denying McConville his, and Stanley’s, second goal.

Moments later a ball over the top exposed the visiting defence leaving Kee one on one but the former Mansfield loanee’s flick was kept out by the legs of the big Dane.

The Stags made all three changes in quick succession as Adam Murray looked to get his side back into proceedings. Then the fun started, with ten yellow cards brandished by overwhelmed referee Darren England as the game threatened to boil over.

Seamus Conneely and Kee had opportunities to extend Stanley’s advantage but couldn’t test Jensen as the decisions started to become more of a talking point than the action.

And the threatened flashpoint arrived in second half stoppage time with Stanley’s players taking exception to a tackle, pushing and shoving ensuing and both goalkeepers ending up racing out to get involved. Four cautions were the result, and nine minutes of added time but Stanley saw it out to get themselves off the mark for league wins in the new campaign.