Stanley win 11-goal thriller

Two Phil Edwards penalties secured Accrington all three points as they came out on top in a 7-4 thriller at home to Gillingham.

There were five goals in the first half, the home side taking the lead after 13 minutes when Terry Gornell crossed for Sean McConville to slot home. Gillingham's Mark Bentley then scored two goals in three minutes, flicking home a long throw and rifling in a loose ball from 15 yards out. The Gills' lead, though, only lasted three minutes as Andy Parkinson blasted his first Football League goal in three years and then Charlie Barnett's cross-shot found the top of the net to give the Reds a 3-2 interval lead. Striker Cody McDonald got the Gills back on level terms but the visitors - who have not won on their travels in 17 months - duly lost the game when they conceded two penalties in four minutes. Stanley striker Gornell deserved a goal and he casually stroked the ball home to make it 6-3 after 73 minutes. But the Gills gave themselves a fighting chance when keeper Ian Dunbavin fouled McDonald and Adebayo Akinfenwa sent the stopper the wrong way from the spot. The game then exploded late on after Jimmy Ryan's late tackle, a melee ensued with Gills scorer Bentley shown a second yellow card for reacting and Stanley assistant manager Jimmy Bell sent from the dugout. Yet there was still time for Ryan to break free and grab a seventh for Stanley.