COLEMAN TARGETS FINISHING TOUCH
IF ACCRINGTON Stanley can secure their League One status for another season, then manager John Coleman believes there is plenty to build on – providing they find their shooting boots!
Stanley notched 76 goals on their way to winning the League Two title last term, but have found it harder to hit the back of the net in the third tier.
Heading into the weekend, they had scored exactly half as many goals – 38 – as last season, with just ten games remaining.
And although Tuesday’s 3-1 victory at Wycombe – promoted with them last season – left them 14th, they were only four points above the relegation zone.
Coleman is positive his team will be playing League One football again next term, and believes they could have achieved more this season if they had found a cutting edge.
“I never went into this league with the sole intention of just staying up,” he said. “Consolidation is a word that is used a lot, but it’s only something you can look back on, otherwise you are setting out to lose games.
Positive
“I want to win every game and we could have challenged for the play-offs. I think we are one of the best seven or eight sides in the division, but the league table doesn’t lie.
“We have played as well as I expected, but we could have more points on the board. The reason we aren’t higher up is that we haven’t put the ball in the net.
“We are the third highest in chances created, but second lowest scorers.”
As for what it will take to guarantee another season of third tier football, Coleman is cautious. They had 44 points pre-weekend, but it looks as though it will be a real dogfight to avoid the drop.
“I think everyone in and around it feels the same – everyone is desperate to get the wins they need as soon as possible,” he said. “It’s difficult but we have to keep on going and keep believing. We have to come up with plans to win and carry them out.
“Fifty two or fifty three points normally keeps you up, but it depends on how other teams do. We want a lot more.”
Stanley have an intriguing run-in. As well as taking on promotion-chasers Luton, Sunderland and Portsmouth – the latter away on the last day of the season, May 4 – they also face relegation-threatened sides like AFC Wimbledon and Walsall.
Not that Coleman is reading too much into that.
“I don’t think it matters who you play – they are all hard games,” he said. “People might earmark an ‘easier’ runin or games, but every game is difficult. The best thing to do is take one game at a time and the sooner we can get two or three wins, the better.”
The ever-reliable Billy Kee leads the Stanley scoring charts with 13 goals and Sean McConville has weighed in with nine.
Reliable
Coleman will pray they can continue to knock in the goals in the closing stages of the season – and hoping a more recent recruit can play his part.
He snapped up speedy striker Paul Smyth, 21, on loan from QPR in late January and the Northern Ireland international has quickly made an impact. Although he had only scored twice heading into the weekend, his lively displays have kept opposition defences on their toes.
“Paul is a very good player,” added Coleman. “When he gets things right he’s unplayable. He gets in the right areas, has pace and two good feet.
“He gives us the opportunity to stretch teams and we’ll miss him next week when he’s on international duty.”