Sean McConville felt Stanley may have been a little premature in handing out their goal of the season prize as he praised the quality of football displayed on a difficult pitch after his hat-trick against Plymouth.

 McConville’s second, and Stanley’s third, on Saturday was full of quality, with the winger finishing off a fine team move.

Dan Barlaser’s strike against Southend had already been named as goal of the season, but the 30-year-old joked his strike was the pick of the lot.

The Wham Stadium pitch has come in for criticism and is currently being relaid.

Stanley defied the difficult surface, and testing conditions on Saturday, to score some excellent goals, with McConville delighted to secure a second senior hat-trick.

He said; “The gaffer said we’ve given the goal of the season prize away too soon.

“For the team in terms of a move I think it’s the best we’ve scored all year. And that’s not just because I scored it. The actual move was frightening.

“To play football like that on that pitch and score a goal like that is incredible really.”

McConville now has 14 goals in an impressive season, one ahead of Billy Kee, though the striker does have two more in the FA Cup.

Stanley had all-but secured their League One status with victory at Doncaster last week, where McConville was on the scoresheet. But he felt they secured it in the best possible fashion as the thumping win over the Pilgrims moved them up to 13th.

“I’m over the moon,” said

McConville.

“The big thing was getting over the line with the win but to come home with the match ball and my second Football League hat-trick means I’m delighted.

“I think it’ll put smiles on everyone’s faces and the players more so because we’ve had some disappointing defeats that we haven’t deserved this year and they’re the ones that decide whether you can challenge for the play-offs or are battling relegation.

“Turning those defeats into draws or draws into wins and you’re looking the other way but we haven’t been able to do that.

“Everything went right for us.”

Manager John Coleman had branded Stanley’s home form as ‘abysmal’ in the lead up to the match.

Indeed, the Plymouth win was just their seventh this season, while before Saturday, they had been the division’s lowest scorers at home.

So after signing off in style, McConville added: “It means a lot.

“The fans have stuck by us through thick and thin and they don’t want to see us relegated. I didn’t want a relegation on my CV.

“It’s fantastic for everyone at the club, the fans, the management and players.

“We’ll regroup in the summer and go again.”