Accrington Stanley 1 - 0 Portsmouth: Paddy Lacey's first League goal earns Accrington victory

Posted Sunday, September 18, 2016 by PA

Paddy Lacey celebrated his first League goal for Accrington as they overcame Portsmouth 1-0.

Both sides were knocked out in the play-off semi-finals last season and are aiming to go one better this year, with Lacey's 51st-minute goal separating the sides.

It was Pompey who started off the livelier with former Stanley winger Gary Roberts, one of five former Reds in the Portsmouth 18, having a great chance to open the scoring in the third minute when he got the ball unmarked to the left of the area but fired across goal and wide.

Chances were limited, with an off-target Michael Doyle diving header after 33 minutes the closest Portsmouth came.

Stanley's best first-half chance came in the 40th minute when Sean McConville's corner was headed against his own crossbar by Pompey defender Christian Burgess.

The home side took the lead six minutes after the restart when Lacey collected the ball 20 yards out and found the top corner of the net with a superb strike on his league debut.

Billy Kee fired straight at David Forde as Stanley looked for a second, while McConville weaved his way into the area but his strike again was easy for the Pompey goalkeeper.

Portsmouth pressed but failed to threaten keeper Aaron Chapman as Stanley celebrated a second successive win.