Stanley were denied three points they richly deserved but manager Leam Richardson was delighted with his side’s response to slipping into the bottom two.

After being held by Southend, the Reds again had most of the play against one of League Two’s promotion contenders, only for Cheltenham to take the lead against the run of play.

Stanley hit back through a James Beattie double and although Marlon Pack also claimed a brace to leave the Reds seven without a win, Richardson felt it was an encouraging display.

“I’d go as far to say, without winning the game, it was one of our best performances of the season, against a very good team,” he said.

“The disappointing thing is we didn’t win the game. We must start winning games, I don’t hide from the fact.

“Through the team we asked everyone to be a man, stand up, take stock of where we are and pull together. I thought we did that.

“We didn’t just match them, from one to 11 I thought we were far superior.

“Cheltenham will have got on the bus wondering how they’ve gone away with something.”

The presence of former manager John Coleman and assistant Jimmy Bell among the spectators did little to stem the speculation over Richardson’s position.

But his players put in a performance that showed they are not just happy to play for Richardson but are determined to maintain Stanley’s League status.

They impressed from the outset, with Rommy Boco

giving full-back Sido Jombati a torrid time down the right, yet the Reds’ first chance came from the opposite flank.

Beattie worked some space for James Gray, whose firm strike was parried by visiting keeper Scott Brown and Richardson felt it should have been a penalty as Beattie was pushed trying to get to the rebound, which could have seen the Cheltenham defender sent off.

Gray forced another diving save from Brown before heading over Beattie’s cross. Gray then turned provider for Peter Murphy, who flicked his cross wide at the near post, while Beattie fired wide from the edge of the box.

Yet it was the visitors who broke the deadlock after a deep free kick was headed into the Stanley box.

Byron Harrison held off Mark Hughes before finding Jason Taylor, who was brought down by Nicky Hunt, and Pack sidefooted home from the penalty spot.

The Reds’ defence weas relieved to see Harrison hit a tame effort wide shortly after and Beattie soon equalised, ending his nine-game goal drought.

Laurence Wilson’s shot was deflected over and he delivered the corner from the left, with Beattie losing his marker to head inside the far post from eight yards.

Boco almost gave Accy the lead just before the break when Brown made a fine save to turn his low shot wide.

Cheltenham’s Jermaine McGlashan then livened up a scrappy start to the second half as he fired over Paul Rachubka’s goal, while Boco flashed a ball across goal with Beattie lurking.

But Beattie wasn’t to be denied moments later.

Hughes rose highest to meet Wilson’s right-wing corner and although Cheltenham cleared his header off the line, it went straight to an unmarked Beattie, who controlled with his thigh before smashing a volley in off the bar.

Parity was soon restored, though, after Hughes conceded a free-kick deep on Accy’s left.

Darren Carter floated it into the danger zone and as a posse of players challenged for the ball, it looped up for Pack to outjump Luke Joyce and head home.

The Reds went closest to claiming a winner, Gray unable to reach Wilson’s ball across goal while Joyce hit a low effort just wide of the far post.

And Hunt made an important interception at the other end as Stanley had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Stanley: Rachubka 6, Hunt 6, Hughes 6, Winnard 6, Liddle 6, Joyce 7, Murphy 6, Boco 7, Beattie 7 (Linganzi 74, 6), Wilson 7, Gray 7 (Amond 88). Not used: Aldred, Molyneux, Hatfield, Miller, Dawber.