STANLEY extended their advantage at the top of League Two with a hard fought win over Forest Green Rovers.

The Reds went into the game at the Wham Stadium knowing that one of their rivals for promotion and the title, Notts County, had already dropped points, and with Luton only able to draw at Newport John Coleman’s side are now three points clear at the summit with a game in hand.

It could have been a frustrating afternoon for Stanley, who were pegged back in the second half after taking an early advantage through Callum Johnson, but they showed the spirit of champions to strike twice in the final 10 minutes through Jordan Clark and Kayden Jackson.

That made it eight home wins in a row and Coleman’s men are now eight points clear in the automatic promotion places.

Having taken top spot in the last minute at Luton a week ago the Reds wasted no time in cementing it back in front of their own fans.

There was less than three minutes on the clock when Sean McConville’s low free-kick was turned home from close range by Johnson.

Stanley were getting some joy out wide, with both Clark and McConville looking to take on their full-backs. It was Clark who came close to adding a second, skipping past a couple of challenges infield before firing just wide from 22 yards.

The visitors weren’t without their first half chances though, with Aaron Chapman sticking out a hand to stop tricky winger Dan Wishart’s deflected effort, while Mark Hughes blocked Gavin Gunning’s shot with an arm, but referee David Webb waved away the penalty appeals, rightly adjudgiung Hughes to have had his arm by his side.

Crosses were continuing to be Stanley’s best route towards goal, with Hughes climbing high to head McConville’s corner wide just before the break.

The biting wind was in Stanley’s favour in the second half and an early McConville corner almost caught Brad Collins out at his near post.

Rovers weren’t going down without a fight though and Wishart was continuing to look a threat down the left, skinning Johnson before fizzing in a low cross which Janoi Donacien almost sliced into his own net.

The reprieve didn’t last long though. From the resulting corner former Stanley man Farrend Rawson drilled a far post shot across goal and Reuben Reid was in the right place to prod home on the goalline.

Stanley looked to reassert their authority with a couple of dangerous McConville corners which came to nothing, but at the other end the Reds were grateful to Jimmy Dunne for a last-ditch tackle to deny Reid.

It was the hosts who tried to turn the screw in the final quarter hour and it was a moment of magic from Clark that proved decisive. He broke free down the right and kept on running, making his way into the area before slotting under Collins with eight minutes to go.

It was more joy down the right for Johnson five minutes later, darting into the area and seeing his cut-back deflected onto the post by the legs of Collins.

Stanley made sure of the points in injury time, Jackson latching on to Seamus Conneely’s ball over the top before cooly lobbing the ball over the advancing Collins to make it eight home wins in a row for the Reds.