Morecambe had led twice and looked good value for it as Accy struggled to make inroads against a well organised Shrimps formation.

Morecambe almost scored in the first minute when Matty Blinkhorn found Paul Lloyd on the left and his terrific cross was turned goalward by Michael Twiss only for the home keeper to flick it over the bar.

There was a scare in the very next attack at the other end when Paul Mullin put Ian Craney clear in the box and, with Morecambe defenders looking for an offside flag that never came, the Stanley midfielder should have done better than side foot wide from ten yards.

Stanley then enjoyed a spell of pressure but couldn't make it pay.

They rued that on 15 minutes when Adam Yates made a great run down the right and crossed to the six-yard box where Blinkhorn rose to nod home a much needed opener for the visitors.

The striker should have made it two after 23 minutes when he was put clear in the box but the ball bobbled and his shot flew yards over the bar.

Accrington almost got back into it five minutes from the break when he drifted in at the back to reach a free kick from Mannix but the former Morecambe defender's touch wasn't firm enough and it went wide.

A minute later the home side had their best chance when Leam Richardson's shot fizzed across the face of goal.

But they netted an equaliser with just a couple of minutes of the first half left when a Craney free kick was blocked on the line by Jalal but Kempson was following up to ram it home.

But the Shrimps got back into the lead after just five minutes of the second half when Garry Thompson forced his way past his defender down the right and hit a low cross into the box for Twiss to race in and slot home from close range.

Stanley then threw men forward in search of another equaliser and Richardson had a 20 yarder fly just over.

Morecambe went straight up the other end though and again Thompson hit a low cross but this time Twiss's side foot shot was blocked.

But a mad couple of minutes completely changed the game.

Accy drew level with Morecambe players appealing for offside after 72 minutes when Paul Mullin slipped a pass to substitute, Andy Mangan who slotted home from close range.

Then, just a minute later Mangan again found himself in the box and, when his shot was blocked it rebounded to Mullin who coolly put his side ahead.

Paul Lloyd was brought into Morecambe's starting line-up as Sammy McIlroy tried a new formation in a bid to end a poor run of results.

Carl Baker, who gave away a penalty at Bury on Saturday, was relegated to the bench.

Craig Stanley, who was placed on the transfer list this week after a 'disciplinary matter', was not involved.

Accrington Stanley: Arthur, Richardson, Whalley, Harris, Mullin, Edwards, Kempson, Weeb, Craney, Mannix, Thompson. Subs: Dunbavin, Branch, Todd, Mangan, Roberts.

Morecambe: Jalal, Adams, Bentley, Artell, Adams, Thompson, Drummond, Sorvel, Twiss, Lloyd, Blinkhorn. Subs: Davies, McStay, Hunter, Curtis, Baker.

Att 1,448