ACCRINGTON STANLEY 3 ALDERSHOT 3

ACCRINGTON'S play-off dreams were finally ended in dramatic style in a pulsating clash against promotion hopefuls Aldershot.

The draw meant the Reds can no longer seal a top five spot but they  are determined to better then 10th place the finished in last season with  their final game of the season on Saturday at Hereford.

"We want to finish as high as possible and want to win at Hereford  and then it is the long hard slog planning for next season," said boss John  Coleman.

"We have conceded 58 goals this season which is not good enough. Any team up challenging for honours can't concede 58 goals. I want to get a few defenders in in the summer and, after fitness  work, the priority in pre season will be defending."

Stanley needed a win to keep any faint hopes alive and had a great  start on four minutes when David Brown found Gary Roberts and he drilled the  ball home.  But a Darren Barnard free kick on 20 minutes made it all square  before the former Wales international converted a penalty on 57 minutes following  a foul on Nick Crittenden by Chris Butler.

Two minutes later and the referee pointed to the spot at the other  end when Lee MCevilly was fouled by Chris Giles but, after consulting his  assistant, he changed his mind to a free kick. Giles, though, saw red.

The McEvilly free kick was deflected and, from the resulting corner,  the striker leapt above everyone else to head home the equaliser on 62  minutes.

But the Reds were once more playing catch-up when Butler was  dispossessed at left back and Tim Sills slotted home his 14th goal of the season on 71 m inutes.  The ten men looked like they would hold on until it was pin-ball in  the Shots area and McEvilly got the final touch to blast home the e qualiser 12 minutes from time.

It was a grandstand finish from the Reds who needed a win but it just wouldn't come.

"I am disappointed," said Coleman. "That game is symptomatic of our  whole season. It has been a disappointing season but, if we bring the right players in in the summer, I think we can be up there challenging for  the league title. I truly believe that."

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