Accrington ready for battle

By Pete Oliver

I am determined to take Accrington higher but we must maintain our League status Accrington boss John Coleman

Accrington Stanley are determined to ensure that their dream of a place back in the Football League does not turn into a nightmare.

Stanley ended a 44-year absence from the League last season when they won the Conference title.

But the step up has proved tough for the Lancashire side, which has found itself sucked into a battle to avoid an instant return to the non-league ranks.

This season's struggles have represented a rare setback following a meteoric six years in which Stanley climbed from the Unibond League First Division to the League.

Manager John Coleman has been the man in charge throughout that spell and he is still looking up, rather than down.

"It can't be the end," Coleman told BBC Sport.

"It would be devastating and we have to keep working hard until we get ourselves into a position where we are comfortable.

"It is a learning curve and you have to learn how to deal with adversity, which is not something we have encountered in my time here.

"We have had three championships and the other times we have always been comfortable on an upward curve.

"We don't want to hit a brick wall. I know this club is capable of going higher. I am determined to take them higher and my first priority is to maintain the status we have got now."

A run of just one win in 13 games had threatened that, with Stanley falling from their position of ninth in mid-October to a place outside the League Two drop zone only on goal difference.

A first home win since the end of September against Mansfield on Tuesday was therefore more than welcome as Stanley climbed three places away from danger.

"This has got to be the start of the run which gets us up the table," Coleman added.

"It's about keeping your nerve. We kept our nerve last year and I think we are capable of doing it this year.

"We have got big characters in our squad and hopefully they will take us through. It's not going to be easy, but we will keep working hard."

That was a quality which was prevalent in last season's promotion success, according to leading scorer and acting captain Paul Mullin.

"We won it in such style. We worked really hard last year after an indifferent start and to throw it all away would just be a travesty. We are determined not to do that," said Mullin.

Stanley have found the financial requirements to compete at this level hard going in terms of attracting players to the Fraser Eagle Stadium on the wages on offer.

When attractive bids came in for star players Gary Roberts and Ian Craney, Accrington were forced to listen through a combination of good business sense, contractual obligations and commitments to the players concerned.

We know we are in a relegation dogfight, but we know what we have to do Accrington skipper Paul Mullin

Roberts' move to Ipswich and Craney's to Swansea left the club without two of their most creative and potent performers.

Attendances, among the lowest in the division, have also been disappointing, but under the guidance of long-standing chairman and benefactor Eric Whalley, Accrington are doing everything possible to fight their corner and ensure they stay up.

Whalley has sanctioned cash bids for a couple of striking targets, while Coleman is also looking to strengthen every other department of his side.

The return from injury of playmaker Rommy Boco and tough-tackling skipper Peter Cavanagh, who should play next month, will also help.

Stanley knew how to win last season when it mattered and despite the step up in class, Mullin, who has been with the club since 2000, hopes that mentality will help again come to the fore another nervy run-in.

"There was pressure on us all the way through last year because we had such a good season," said the 32-year-old striker. "Although I must admit I prefer the pressure from last year.

"It's all about getting points on the board and Tuesday night was a massive win for us.

"We had a great win on New Year's Day at Wrexham but didn't kick on from there. We need to use this as a springboard now.

"We know we are in a relegation dogfight, but we know what we have to do and I am confident, and the lads in the dressing room are, that we can get out of it."