WHAT is it about Hereford and Stanley sendings-off?

In the Reds' last four visits to Edgar Street, they have seen three defenders dismissed in controversial circumstances.

Centre half Steve Halford saw red in the first Conference season for a second booking, Mike Flynn was sent off in last season's FA Trophy for a 'last man' tackle and this time it was youngster Danny Ventre's turn for an early bath following a harsh handball.

A betting man could make some money on a wager for a red card the next time the two sides meet - but Stanley are hoping it will be quite a while as Accrington have never won at Edgar Street.

It was a such a shame that Stanley's quest to equal the Conference record of 11 straight wins shared by Saturday's host and Dagenham ended in controversial circumstances after all the hard work at earning 10 wins on the trot.

At 2-0 against their nearest title challengers, Stanley were cruising but the game eruped with Reds manager John Coleman fuming at referee Mike Mullarkey for his second half show in which his side got little from the man in the middle.

Hereford were awarded a penalty, Ventre was dismissed and the fourth official held up an agonising sixth minutes of injury time.

And, four minutes into that, winger Nicky Nicolau, who Ventre had previously been in control of, ruined the day for the Reds.

But, on the positive side, the draw virtually ended the Bulls' hopes of catching the Reds unless Stanley fall dramatically in their final nine league games.

Coleman, however, couldn't take heart from that - and the tie left a bitter taste in the manager's mouth, especially towards Exeter official, Mr Mullarkey.

"If you watch the video and keep rewinding it back from the final whistle until the last time he gave us a free kick, you will find it is about 60 minutes. He didn't want to give us anything," fumed the boss. "All we want is for officials to be fair and I don't think we got a fair ride.

"We have had a winning run taken off us not by Hereford and you can draw your own conclusions from that.

"I can't believe that someone who had a particularly good first half could go that way in the second off. It wasn't a level playing field."

And he leapt to the defence of his right back Ventre who had got a starting nod in the last few games due to suspensions and had been playing well.

"If it is a deliberate hand ball, he had to move his hand towards the ball. And it is debatable whether it hits his hand or not. He is standing upright, our goalkeeper is standing behind him," explained the boss.

"We are upset about the sending off but what I am upset about is the amount of fouls given for them, which weren't given for us. That is my big bug bear.

"We had controlled the game for 75 minutes then someone else has brought them into the game.

"I thought we played really well, even at the end we defended well, and there were some great performances out there. We have had some luck along the way to get where we are so perhaps it was our time for a bit of bad luck," he reflected.

Stanley were entering their third away game on the trot and this was always going to be the big one against their main title challengers.

And despite weathering their usual early storm, they once again scored a stunner to put them ahead.

Former Hereford striker David Brown latched onto Andy Todd's ball on 37 minutes and hooked the ball over his shoulder from a tight angle and it nestled into the net via the upright for a cracking opener.

The Bulls did get the ball in the net just before the break through tall striker Andy Williams but keeper Rob Elliot had been fouled in the build-up.

After the interval, Hereford immediately appealed for a penalty after a mix up in the defence let Robbie King in but Elliot dived at his feet as the two clashed with Elliot left needing treatment.

Then, though, Stanley seemed to knock the stuffing out of the 4,000 strong crowd when an inswinging corner by Ian Craney, after Paul Mullin had forced it, was touched home at the near post for an own goal by Hereford defender Tamika Mkandawire.

Stanley were cruising and that record seemed within touching distance with the visiting fans unable to believe their side had disposed off their nearest challengers seemingly so easily.

But the joy proved short lived as the Bulls got a lift they needed.

They were having a period of pressure without really testing Elliot and then a Ryan Green ball in from the right came to Nicolau at the far post. He lashed the ball goalwards and the ball hit Ventre who had his hands by his side with Elliot waiting behind him.

The Hereford crowd started chanting, the referee walked straight over and that was it - the red card was up and Ventre was walking back. It was gutting for the youngster who had been getting stronger with every game.

Elliot then looked like he had saved the day when he superbly pushed Rob Purdie's penalty onto the bar and out but three Hereford players were very quick off the block and it was Stuart Fleetwood who forced the ball home to make it 2-1.

That set up a grandstand finish with Elliot blocking a Williams effort with his legs and the keeper pushed out an Andy Ferrell snap shot with one hand.

Then a gasp went up as the fourth official held up six minutes of injury time to the amazement of most people.

And, deep into stoppage time, Williams put Nicolau through and he clipped the ball past Elliot to add to Stanley's agony.

The fans spurred the Bulls on for a late winner but the best chance fell to the league leaders when sub Steve Jagielka burst through with only the keeper to beat but Purdie recovered and did well to stop him lining up a shot.

A bemused Coleman added: "I would like to look at the video for the penalty too as their man should be entering the Olympics if he can get to where he did by the time it took the ball to hit the bar and come back. He would be winning the 100metres at the Olympics with that speed."