STRIKERS will take goals any which way they come - but Paul Mullin was adamant it was his foot which scored the winner against Canvey Island.
Gulls boss Jeff King questioned whether it was a hand which sunk his side.
But Mullin was shocked by the suggestion and said there was definitely no hands involved in his first goal since early October which took his goal tally to nine for the season.
"I can't believe they thought I had punched it!" said the Reds' top scorer. "Macca (Lee McEvilly) had a volley which ricoched off one of their defenders and it came back to me, it hit me in my midriff and I touched it in off my left foot. It never touched my hand!"
King wasn't arguing about the goal though. "I haven't a problem with the goal. Our left back was caught out of position and our centre half was drawn in and they have scored," he said. "Some of my players felt he had punched it in but these things happen when things aren't going for you - and they are not going for us at the moment."
Mullin's goal was the high point in a game in which both teams cancelled each other out and left chances at a premium.
After a dour first half, the Reds came out with John Coleman's half-time team-talk ringing in their ears.
And immediately Steve Flitcroft did well on the right flank, and found McEvilly whose shot was deflected to Mullin. He pounced and struck the ball home from close range.
"I needed a goal, something just to bounce for me and luckily for me it did on Saturday," said the striker, who hadn't scored in the last six Conference games. "John had given us a half-time roasting as the first half was a non event really. It shook us up and we showed a lot more enthusiasm in the second half.
"If you show it, things might fall for you in the box and they did for me. I should have really scored last week but I will take this one.
"After last week's result (3-0 loss at Barnet) we needed a win as we can't afford to drop that many points especially as we have played a game more."
Canvey came to the Interlink after having 11 goals thumped past them in their last three games.
But it was clear this wasn't going to be a high-scoring game as the Gull's first shot on target - one out of only two all game - came on 12 minutes when winger Chris Duffy fired straight at Stanley's home debutant keeper Paul Crichton.
The Reds weren't able to test his counterpart Danny Potter - who enjoyed some lively banter with the home fans - until the 33rd minute when McEvilly fired a low shot through a number of bodies at the visiting keeper.
Other than that, it was a midfield battle although Coleman did try to change things around pushing McEvilly from the wing to partner Mullin up front but they still couldn't find a way through.
It had to get better in the second half and that interval "chat" certainly worked for the Reds with an instant reward of Mullin's goal.
Canvey then had to chase the game and sub Ollie Berquez posed their main threat - testing the Stanley keeper with a 30-yard drive which Crichton did well to hold onto.
Yet, as the half went on, the Reds gradually got on top and should have added to their tally. Craney's 20 yard chip on 70 minutes was inches over Potter's bar while Flitcroft also had a long range effort blocked.
Coleman added the lively Steve Jagielka to the fray and there was then a welcome return for winger Rory Prendergast following two months out for a double hernia operation.
Coleman has admitted the Reds have missed his crosses from the wing this season and he got a warm reception from the home fans. And he could have made an instant impression but his long range effort cleared the crossbar.
Stanley continued to look for the second to give manager Coleman an easier time on the bench.
Mullin's neat chip sent McEvilly charging through but he shot wide while he then missed an easy chance with five minutes on the clock.
A Prendergast left wing cross just evaded the head of Mullin at the near post but continued to the unmarked McEvilly at the far post. He got the ball but, with the goalkeeper stranded, agonisingly fired high and over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Nerves were jangling that Stanley would be made to pay for this as Canvey forced their first corners of the match - in the 91st and 92nd minute - but Stanley held on for their third Conference win in 11 matches.
"Three points is always a lift," said boss John Coleman."I know it wasn't pretty but they have come with a game plan. They were a different team to what I saw two weeks ago at Northwich with a different formation and they have stifled us well.
"They limited us to a few chances but, as a consequence, they weren't really a threat themselves.
"But there were a few harsh words said at half-time and we have come good. I wanted more enthusiasm and spark and we needed to take the game by the scruff of the neck and win it - no one hands you three points in this league.
"Thankfully in the second half we were more positive. We got the early goal and we were value for maybe more than one goal.
"We have worked in training with Paul at putting the ball into open nets from three yards and it has paid off. We worked on trying go get his confidence back."
The Reds chief was also pleased to see lively winger Prendergast make his return.
"It was good to see Rory back but we won't try and rush him. He put in a couple of decent crosses and will get stronger.
"And with Steve Flitcroft, we spoke about him trying to get further forward in the second half, to try and be more positive, and he did well for the goal. It was a nice move but, as a striker, it was nice it fell to Paul to finish."
