Burns spot on as Reds hit the top

ACCRINGTON moved back to the top of the UniBond League Premier Division following their win over managerless Runcorn and Hyde United's defeat at Colwyn Bay.

"I feel dizzy," joked manager John Coleman, "We didn't expect to be at the top so early in the season.

"It is early days but we knew we had nothing to fear on our return to this league.

"We didn't particularly play well and got two goals without creating much but I never thought for one minute we would lose."

Runcorn had sacked manager Mark Carter on Monday evening -- one of Coleman's former team-mates -- and the Crown Ground chief showed no mercy as the Reds recorded their fourth win out of six League games.

Runcorn started the game well with Paul McNally having three shots wide of the Reds' goal in the opening 10 minutes.

On 14 minutes good work by Liam Watson saw him strike a snap shot on the turn that Runcorn goalkeeper Richard Acton just got his fingertips to turn it round the post.

It was a superb move that led to Stanley taking the lead on 20 minutes. Paul Burns passed to Mark Ceraolo, who linked well with Steve Carragher, who found Watson in the penalty area and he blasted the ball beyond Acton from 10 yards.

Nine minutes later and Accrington were awarded a penalty. Runcorn leftback Jamie Chantler made a rash challenge on Watson and Burns stepped up to convert the spotkick.

The Reds almost scored a third on 41 minutes when former Runcorn player Watson broke down the right and sent over a pinpoint cross to Ceraolo but his header went just over the crossbar.

Disaster struck on the stroke of half-time when Reds' goalkeeper Speare, a hero in the previous two games, dropped a corner kick by former Bury player Tony Rigby into his own net to allow Runcorn back into the game.

And the Linnets almost grabbed a late equaliser when Speare came racing out of his goal to clear the ball but his kick only fell to Dave Robinson 45 yards out. He chipped the ball goalwards but Speare raced back and acrobatically punched the effort over the crossbar.