WHAM’S A HIT!

Accrington’s Sean McConville on their home advantage

ACCRINGTON Stanley are sitting pretty in League Two, but they’re prepared to channel their ugly side to stay there.

That’s not to say John Coleman’s side are all blood and thunder, treating possession and game management as throwaway concepts as they grind opponents into submission.

Instead, it means they are prepared to use every tool available in their quest to secure a return to the third tier for the first time since 1960.

Influential midfielder Sean McConville is more than happy to accept the advantage from opposition teams not always fancying a trip to the claustrophobic Wham Stadium, with its capacity of just over 5,000.

Striving

It may not always work – Stanley were upset on home turf by National League Guiseley in the FA Cup on Tuesday – but every little helps.

“Tuesday was gutting, but the league table doesn’t lie. We deserve to be there,” said the 28year-old. “The first day we came back for pre-season, the aim was to get promotion.

“That’s what we’re striving for and we’re not going to settle for anything less.

“I think teams have started to maybe give us the respect we deserve now.

“It’s a very tough place to come. If you ask any opponent that comes to Accrington, it’s probably one of the worst. They don’t like it.

“It’s a tight, enclosed stadium and the dressing rooms aren’t the best, but we use that to our advantage and that’s why our home form, I think, is very good.

“But the chairman (Andy Holt) is making improvements around the ground and off the pitch. The club is really striving to become a League One club. We’re trying to match that ambition on the pitch.”

McConville is in his second spell with Accrington and was part of the side that agonisingly missed out on automatic promotion on goal difference in the 2015-16 season.

Coleman’s men were then beaten by AFC Wimbledon in the play-offs.

Notwithstanding that gutting end to the campaign, the former Stockport and Chester man senses this year’s crop could once again be on to something good.

“The way this year’s panned out is a lot similar to that season,” said McConville. “We’re just hoping the ending will be different because that was heart-breaking.

“We’ve played all the top teams in the league and there’s certainly no-one to fear.

“Hopefully, we can put a run together that will take us into League One. We’re under no illusions how tough it will be, but we’re really embracing the challenge.”

Prominent

In midweek, McConville was honoured for his performances over the last 12 months by being crowned League Two Player of the Year at the Leesa Northwest Football Awards.

To the casual observer, strikers Billy Kee and Kayden Jackson have been the driving forces behind Stanley’s earlyseason success, but McConville, who had scored five times ahead of this weekend, has also been a prominent cog in Coleman’s machine.

Last term, he notched six times and also racked up 17 assists. He’s keen to increase his output to fire Accrington into League One.

McConville said: “I sat down with the gaffer this year and the thing he wanted from me was to try to get into double figures for goals.

“But the biggest aim is promotion.

“Whether that’s with me scoring goals or with me assisting, I don’t really care as long I can look at the league table in May 5, we’re in the top three and we’re all enjoying a party.”