Hereford United moved a crucial step closer to the play-offs and kept the pressure on Nationwide Conference leaders Chester with a slender win over play-off chasing Accrington.
The Bulls were given a hard battle by Stanley before registering their fourth consecutive win in an important run thanks to skipper Tony James' 75th minute penalty.
Rob Purdie played a neat throughball to Michael Rose who made ground before crossing to the centre where Hereford leading scorer Steve Guinan was pulled down by Reds defender Steve Halford.
Referee Singh pointed to the spot and reached for his red card to dismiss Halford. It was the Accrington man's fourth sending-off of the season.
James, who missed from the spot in last week's win over Northwich, kept his nerve to drive the ball past Jon Kennedy in the Accrington goal.
Hereford had struggled to come to terms with a gusty wind in the first period when the visitors had much the better of play.
Ryan Green cleared a cross from Peter Cavanagh which eluded goalkeeper Matt Baker from near the goal-line, but Baker produced the save of the match later in the half when he did exceptionally well to tip over when Rory Prendergast got in a good header from Ged Brannan's cross.
With the wind behind them, Hereford gradually got on top in the second period and kept Kennedy in the action throughout.
But after their goal, the Bulls should have extended the margin when substitute Daniel Carey-Bertram and Guinan had goalbound shots blocked in quick succession.
Paul Cook clipped the Hereford bar with a good long-range effort but Hereford held on to take the points.
"It was an important win for us," said Hereford's director of football Graham Turner. "We must keep on winning to keep the pressure on Chester at the top."