Manager John Coleman had billed it as a must win game, and despite a disappointing first half his Accrington Stanley players didn’t let him down as they beat Aldershot to end their five match winless run in League Two.

Goals from Sean Hessey, Danny Coid and Charlie Barnett gave the Reds all three points after they found themselves 2-1 down at the interval.

With six minutes on the watch the Shots were ahead; Jermaine McGlashan cutting back Anthony Straker’s left wing cross for Danny Hylton to stab home from close range.

Stanley mustered a swift response, winning a free kick around 30 yards out in a central position. Luke Joyce dummied and Hessey drove it in low, beating goalkeeper Ross Worner into the bottom left corner for his second of the season.

Aldershot soon had the advantage again when Hylton met Alex Rodman’s right wing corner with a flick header at the near post and it evaded Sean Murdoch.

Andy Procter was making his 400th Stanley appearance, and was inches away from marking it with a goal when his 25th minute volley flew wide.

After the interval the Shots had the ball in the net again, but Darren Jones’ header was ruled out for a push in the area.

But eleven minutes into the half the Reds were level again courtesy of Coid’s first goal for the club and first for nearly seven years. Kevin McIntyre’s cross from the left found Craney on the right and he squeezed the ball across the face of goal. Coid reacted sharply to pick out the right corner and put the Reds in the ascendancy.

The visitors survived penalty appeals on 73 minutes when Craney turned well in the box and appeared to be poleaxed. A point each seemed on the cards when the Reds won a corner on the left in the 88th minute. Barnett and Craney exchanged passes, allowing the former space inside the area.

The substitute made no mistake, picking out the top corner.