[choirboy]

What an absolutely BRILLIANT show of appreciation today for a TRUE STANLEY LEGEND..............

Number 29... our BILLY KEE.

In a highly charged and emotional WHAM Stadium the Stanley Faithful showered Billy with so much LOVE and BEST WISHES for the future. He has been a true hero for The Reds and is appreciated by so many of his team mates both past and present for his role in their development and the continuation of the Accrington Stanley Story.......

Thanks BILLY for all you have done for our club and what you have done for your team mates and for the pleasure that you have given us with your great goals and heroic play!

"Billy's Day" certainly seemed to have charged the team up for today's important match v Wimbledon....a real 'six Pointer'.
From the kick off the Stanley boys were 'right on it' and set off like a train playing slick, attacking football and closing down our opponents from the front to the heart of our defence. The early and fully deserved goal came on 14 minutes from Jordan Clarke after a great move and a curling low cross from the impressive Joe Pritchard. Stanley continued to totally dominate the Dons and scored, what for me was 'The Goal of the Season'..... (so far). The first phase of the build up to the goal caused the Dons defence to lose their shape and the second phase and goal was just scintillating! The ball was cleverly nicked, played out wide and then laid back to an advancing Hughes who clipped the most delightful pass with the outside of his foot wide to the right. Callum Johnson had been getting forward really well and once again he curled a super cross in to the centre where Dion Charles, on the edge of the eighteen yard line, seemed to just power the ball into the top corner of the net with what looked to me like a superb over the shoulder kick. (I am really looking forward to seeing it on the TV tonight!)
Stanley were well on top and in total control with probably the best period of play from them this season.
The referee harshly booked Pritchard after a Dons player made a lot out of a physical coming together in midfield. The free kick could have been awarded either way from my point of view or not even at all! This Yellow Card had consequences later in the match!
Stanley also had a couple of good shouts for penalties too.
Half time came and the Stanley players and fans were buzzing about the great 46 minutes of football we had seen!
The second half began as the first half finished with Stanley well on top and continuing with the slick football. On fifty five minutes Joe Pritchard advanced into the Dons penalty box and was clearly fouled for what was a 'Stone Wall Penalty'. Incredibly the Referee, in his wisdom, deemed that Pritchard had dived and gave him a second yellow card ...this time for 'SIMULATION'.
This changed the match to a degree and allowed Wimbledon to have more possession and they certainly seemed to build more dangerously from their right wing where they were developing a useful series of overlaps. The inevitable goal came form some sustained pressure from the Dons but Coley made a good substitution in bringing on 'fresh legs' at left back in the form of Alese for Maguire who had played really well. He also brought on Zanzala to try and keep the ball upfield and to cause problems for the Dons defence.
Stanley, with the constant support of the Ultras, very effectively played out the remainder of the match for a fully deserved and very important three points!
On the way home in the car we listened to John Coleman's interview on Radio Lancashire and he was calmly 'apoplectic' about the referees decisions regarding Pritchard's two yellow cards and about some of the poor refereeing decisions Stanley have suffered this season.
I fully agree with John, for example two weeks ago versus Sarfend, Pritchard was defending an attacking run and was attending a Sarfend player who had pushed the ball too far which was going out harmlessly for a Stanley goal kick. The forward deviated his run into Pritchard and also flicked his left leg out into Pritchard's feet and simulated a dive, earning the award of a penalty for his team. Now that was real SIMULATION and cheating!
All John Coleman wants is consistency from the referees and of course the correct application of the rules!
There was some great performances throughout our team today and the effort was illustrated totally in front of us in the Clayton End when, at the final whistle, Jordan Clarke doubled up as if winded by a Mike Tyson punch to the stomach! 100% effort from all the boys today and a superb outcome!
Well done The Reds! it has certainly been an eventful day but we gave Billy a good send off and got the very important three points!

ON STANLEY ON
KEEP THE FAITH