After a slow start, the home side finally broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when Karl Hawley battled his way past Sean Hessey before dinking over the advancing Sean Murdoch. The Magpies doubled their lead just after the start of the second period on 47 minutes when Alan Judge found himself in acres of room inside the Accrington box and his shot squirmed underneath Murdoch. The visitors were then reduced to 10 men on 64 minutes when skipper Andrew Proctor brought down Hawley when he was bearing down on goal. County full-back Alan Sheehan struck on 80 minutes to make it three when his curling free-kick evaded everyone to nestle into the bottom corner. Stanley's Luke Joyce gave the visitors hope on 85 minutes after firing smartly past Stuart Nelson but Hawley confidently stroked the ball home four minutes later to seal their fate.
