Coley hoping to travel in style at Owls
JOHN Coleman was hoping his Accrington Stanley side could turn on the style on their travels when they made the trip to promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday night.
The Reds had chalked up back-toback home wins and won nine of their 17 League One games at the Wham Stadium this season ahead of the clash.
On their travels, of the 14 league games they have played, they had won three and Coleman admitted this ‘is a concern.’
However, with three away trips coming up – the Owls, Cambridge and Doncaster – he was hoping they could take their home form on their travels.
Sheffield Wednesday have won four out of their last five games, losing to league leaders Rotherham on Sunday.
“I watched Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday so we know what to expect,” said the Reds manager ahead of the game.
“We lost 3-2 to them in November, it sounds like a close game but it wasn’t as close as the result suggests. They will see a different Accrington Stanley.
“We are finding a comfortable feeling about the way we are playing at the moment, the patterns of play are coming naturally which means the players are going to play better.
“We are looking strong and we have to try and carry it on into every game, regardless of the opposition.
“We are going in the right direction but we are far from the finished article.
“It is always hard to win away from home, three wins is a concern, but you can’t moan about it and dwell on it.
“You have to try and improve on it, we have got to keep trying to apply ourselves and coming up with a game plan. The last away game at Rotherham was a classic away performance and I am bitterly disappointed
we didn’t get anything at Rotherham, who are nine points clear at the top.
“We have three away games now and we would like to take something out of all those games.”
Stanley will have to do it without defender Ross Sykes who is suspended for two games after picking up a tenth booking of the season in the 4-1 win over Crewe on Saturday.
“It’s a harsh booking but we won’t be only team who have a harsh booking. However, the ramifications for that were quite harsh for us.
“But we have to move on, we have players who can cope and come in and deputise as we have shown in the past.
“Ross and Notts (Michael Nottingham) have been very good, not just them two but Mitch Clark has been a revelation at right back in the last couple of months.
“Yabs (Yeboah Amankwah) is slowly finding his feet and becoming an important member of the side.
“Then they have to be protected by the people in front of them and so the midfield and forwards have been doing their jobs. You attack and defend as a team.
“Whatever I have to put out with the squad I have got, it’s very strong, I have no issues.”