THE day after Lancashire and England's Andrew Flintoff received the Freedom of Preston for his cricketing heroics, Accrington Stanley hit a maiden half century.

Ian Craney's single strike earned the Reds their 50th Conference win. And to add extra oomph to the final whistle celebrations, fellow promotion chasers Exeter dropped points after scraping a 2-2 draw at Morecambe, extending Stanley's lead at the top of the table to eight points.

And still with a game in hand on second-placed Exeter and a trip to the Grecians next on the agenda, the world - it seems - is Stanley's oyster.

But manager John Coleman will be keen to avoid any more first-half performances like the one he witnessed at the Interlink Express Stadium on Saturday.

Not just for the sake of his side's promotion hopes, but his blood pressure as well.

The half-time whistle couldn't have come soon enough for the Stanley boss, so that he could give his players the proverbial kick up the backside after a poor opening 45 minutes in which Cambridge threatened to do the double over them.

He all but admitted he feared the Reds' record in scoring in every game this season would end after Peter Cavanagh missed his second penalty in a row.

But a relieved Coleman admitted his side got their just rewards from a vastly improved second half display.

"We were lucky to go in 0-0 at half-time," he said.

"There were a lot of harsh words said and the lads responded magnificently and I thought we were well worthy of winning the second half.

"Whether we deserved to win it on the basis of the full game is a different matter.

"But the lads kept going. They didn't let their heads drop when they missed the penalty and we got a great goal."

Craney's 79th minute strike took him into double figures for the season.

But on the evidence of the first half it was hard to see where a goal was going to come from, for Stanley.

After a bright start by Coleman's men, Cambridge began to get the upper hand with their 4-1-4-1 formation switching to a three pronged attack going forward.

Dan Gleeson twice tested Rob Elliot, first with a free kick which Robbie Williams had to clear when the Stanley goalkeeper fell in the box, then surprising him with a low 25-yard drive that Elliot gathered at the second attempt.

Williams did well to keep pace with lone front man Craig Westcarr as he charged on to a punt upfield, Elliot ran out, mis-hit his clearance but managed to catch Courtney Pitt's attempted lob into an open net.

Westcarr was hotting up and taking advantage of Stanley's lack of cohesion. But while the Reds looked on edge, Cambridge lacked precision in the final third.

Elliot made a brave stop at Westcarr's feet, then looked to have got the better of Michael Welch but the defender did enough to take the ball away from the striker with a well-timed challenge inside the box.

Thankfully, a much more controlled and positive Stanley side emerged for the second half.

Phil Edwards forced Scott Howie into his first save of the afternoon after robbing Trevor Robinson of possession to the right of the box.

Then Gary Roberts ditched his first-half anonymity to just miss the target with a 20-yard volley.

But the introduction of Andy Mangan was key to really turning the game in their favour.

His fresh legs outfoxed and outpaced a Cambridge defence that was growing more and more weary and, as he latched on to a Mullin header, Gleeson dragged him down in the box.

Cavanagh struck his penalty firmly, but Howie dived the right way and tipped it round the post.

The record of scoring in every game this season seemed to be ebbing away until Craney got on the end of another Mullin throughball, drew the keeper then sidefooted into an empty net.

Relief all round.

Stanley had chances of adding to that single strike with Romuald Boco, Mullin and Mangan going close.

Cambridge were buoyed by four minutes of stoppage time, and goalkeeper Howie almost grabbed a late equaliser in one of two corners he raced upfield for.

But Stanley's cushion gets bigger and more comfortable at the top.