Conneely’s return key to turning corner

SHELDAN KEAY

JOHN Coleman has praised his captain Seamus Conneely for the impact he made during Accrington Stanley’s 3-0 victory at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

Conneely was starting his first league game in nearly a month, but he performed well and helped the Reds pick up all three points.

The 30-year-old was handed a position in the starting line-up in place of Offrande Zanzala, but Coleman feels like his decision paid off.

“Seamus just gives us a bit more of a calming influence in midfield and we thought that if we could contain Plymouth by controlling possession, we’d have a better chance of winning the game,” he said.

“Well, a better chance of keeping a clean sheet and we felt as though we had the fire power to score and then that would lead to us winning the game. That was the decision to put him in, I think considering that he hasn’t played for a while, he did ever so well.”

Coleman was also impressed with his goalkeeper Connor Ripley as he made a string of good saves to keep a clean sheet in the game.

“He was very good. We know what a top quality goalkeeper Connor is. He has been a bit unlucky with some shots that have gone in lately that he could do little about,” he said.

“On Saturday he showed his worth and he made three or four really good saves which were at crucial times in the game and kept us in it.”