THE FA Cup second round draw may have not thrown up the best of ties for the Reds in Barnet but at least they were in the hat.

Every year since 2003, Stanley fans have been able to turn off their televisions, without an anticipation of the draw or much interest of who got who.

So although the Bees at home might have been greeted with a slight groan on Sunday, at least ‘Accrington Stanley’ had a number for once.

Both John Coleman and Barnet manager Ian Hendon will be hoping they can scrap out a second round win to put £27,000 in their club’s coffers but, more importantly, be in the picture for the third round when the big guns come into it.

And Coleman will be aiming to make sure his side can keep it going for the full 90 minutes against their play-off chasing League Two rivals after failing to take their chances against Blue Square Premier side Salisbury on Saturday in round one.

This led to Tommy Widdrington’s side being able to make a second half revival and, anyone who watched the Reds throw away a 2-0 FA¿Cup lead at Worcester City in 2005, will not have sat or stood comfortably at the Crown Ground in the second half.

But this time Stanley did hold out and pocketed £18,000 prize money, with Coleman admitting: "In the first half we were all over them and we kept them away from our goal.

"In the second half we didn’t get going and, all credit to them, as they put us under pressure without forcing our keeper into a save.

"I think we were wasteful in front of goal and snatched at chances too many times. It has been an eventful week and perhaps it has caught up with the players.

"Salisbury had nothing to lose and, when it got to 2-1, I did see shades of Worcester but we held on. It has been a long time coming getting into round two so we have just got to enjoy it."

Salisbury represented a potential banana skin as, although 17th in the BS Premier table, a ten point deduction meant it’s not a reflection on their team.

But they were down to the bare bones, only able to field five substitutes as they, like Accrington, are battling through a transfer embargo. Their League Two counterparts did overrun them in the first half with former Exeter keeper James Bittner in top form to keep out Bobby Grant and Jimmy Ryan.

But he could do nothing about the two goals. Two different corner routines worked out for the Reds with the first, a familiar one to Stanley fans. John Miles took it, Phil Edwards dummied the ball and Ryan was running in to fire home his first goal of the season - and hopefully the first of many.

Then, from the opposite side, Miles put in another flag kick with Michael Symes running in at the near post to head home.

If it had been three or four at half-time Salisbury couldn’t have complained but Stanley and two-goal leads never seem safe.

They have thrown them away against Worcester, Oldham, Huddersfield and Bradford so no fan would have been celebrating first round success at half-time.

And this was despite the Ultras being bouyed by Ilyas Khan’s appearance among them with "Ilyas’ Khan’s Barmy Army" being chanted around the ground.

The Accrington-born millionaire saved the club from a winding up order last week and was given a heroes welcome by the Reds’ fans.

But, while with supporters, the new chairman didn’t get the chance to celebrate a Stanley goal as it was City hot shot Matt Tubbs who took his chance. He raced forward, evaded a tackle from Edwards and Darran Kempson, and slotted past Ian Dunbavin - with an upset potentially on the cards, especially with the 400 Salisbury fans getting behind their side.

Stanley still had chances - Grant was guilty of skying a couple while Bittner continued to excel and then, every time Salisbury pushed forward, it was nail-biting time.

But, despite five minutes of injury time, Stanley saw it out meaning they could finally look forward to the Sunday draw - and harbour hopes of perhaps a bumper third round tie for only the second time in six years.