Teenage defender Shaun Brisley struck twice in the first half to give Macclesfield a huge three points in their quest for League Two survival.

Ian Craney had equalised for Accrington before Brisley headed in his second and Aswad Thomas saw red for the visitors as they pressed on for a late point.

Keith Alexander named an unchanged line-up after the win over Barnet and Stanley skipper Paul Mullin returned to lead the line after a spell out through injury.

Francis Green headed well wide after Jamie Tolley's first corner of the game was poorly punched clear by Kenny Arthur and Terry Dunfield was the first name in referee Russell's book for a rash late challenge on Phil Edwards.

It took the Silkmen just 15 minutes to find the net and the goal was youngster Brisley's first for the club.  Danny Thomas brilliantly managed to slide in a cross from the left and after Green let the ball run Brisley was on hand to guide a left-footed effort in off the post.

A speculative Andy Todd volley flew high and wide as both sides struggled to keep possession and long balls were sent astray in the blustery conditions.

A Neil Ashton free kick from a similar position to where he scored from on Monday drifted wide of the far post with Danny Thomas unable leap high enough to connect.

However Stanley levelled on 32 minutes when Shaun Whalley dispossessed Jamie Tolley in the centre and played a perfect ball through in front of Ian Craney who raced onto it and drilled past Brain into the bottom corner.

Strong penalty claims were waved away a few minutes later as Gareth Evans attempted to turn the ball in from close and went down under pressure in the box after a Thomas shot almost fell kindly for him.

Ashton's resulting corner was almost put into his own net by the Stanley keeper and Brisley wildly blazed over after a quick turn past his man.

Brisley did get his second though as again a set-piece worked wonders for Macc.  Tolley's corner was flicked on by Mullin attempting to clear and the space opened up for Brisley to stoop and head into the roof of the net from six yards.

The game became quite physical in midfield for the rest of the second half and Macc looked good going forward attacking down the flanks.

As the teams came out for the second half the Silkmen looked hungry to kill the game off and squandered two guilt-edged chances to put the game to bed.  Green ran at the away defence and slotted a perfect ball through for Thomas who lifted the ball over Arthur only to see it sneak the wrong side of the post.

Danny Thomas - Nuisance to the Stanley defence and almost scored

On 55 minutes Green should have had his fourth goal in five games when Thomas slid the ball across the face of goal and as the keeper dived out and failed to get a touch, the ex-Lincoln man also couldn't get anything on it as it ran away to safety.

For the final half hour it was the visitors who looked the stronger as they forced a string of corners which the Macc defence just about dealt with.  The Silkmen were limited to a few counter attacks and could have struck a third when Evans spun past his man and played Tolley through, but he let the ball run wide and his return ball was blocked.

On 71 minutes Stanley were reduced to ten men when Aswad Thomas stupidly reacted to Brisley by throwing the ball at him when he conceded a throw-in and the referee quickly had his red card out.

Despite the man advantage, Macc struggled to keep hold of the ball and at times it looked like it was Accrington who had the extra player.  Brain almost gifted the away side a leveller when he spilled a shot from the edge of the box and had to scramble back to keep the ball the right side of the line as he fell to the ground.

The Silkmen continued to be camped in their own half but still had chances to break.  Evans found Dunfield on the right and with two men free in the centre he horribly skewed his pass straight out for a goal kick.

Substitute Izak Reid blasted well over from 20 yards and Robert Grant saw a fizzing effort whistle past the post at the other end.

A frustrated Shaun Whalley flew into Brain following a cross from the left and was booked and during the four minutes of injury time the Silkmen kept hold of the ball to run down the clock.

The whistle blew on another massive step towards survival and as other results went favourably Macc now sit ten points away from the drop zone.

Andy Brinkhurst