ACCRINGTON'S unpredictability is driving manager John Coleman mad.

And the fans are just as bamboozled as no one is sure which side is going to turn up - the one who battered pre-season promotion favourites Bradford 3-0 or the team who lost to struggling Bury or Wrexham.

After the stunning show at Valley Parade on Tuesday - which Coleman described as one of the best performances in his nine years at the club - people were buzzing expecting a repeat as the Reds went back to Friday night football in the hope of attracting bigger crowds.

Stanley were on the hunt for their first back-to-back wins in 16 league games against Wrexham - struggling in the relegation spots, thumped 4-0 by Chesterfield midweek and with boss Brian Carey under pressure.

And Stanley had the pleasant memory of doing the double over the Dragons last season and especially putting five past them at the FES which was the start of a slump by Wrexham who ended the season battling with the Reds to avoid relegation.

But, as with Bury the previous Saturday, Stanley stumbled and probably made it one of the most disappointing nights of Coleman's managerial career as they handed an important three points to the Dragons.

It mustn't have only been the pre-match curry in the clubhouse which was hot, as Coleman was livid with his lack-lustre side who offered little.

And the Reds chief knows he needs to get consistency into his team - and he started by calling them in for training over the weekend instead of the promised three days off if they got the win.

But he also shouldered some of the blame because he stuck with the same team that ended the game against Bradford and performed so well - against his better instincts.

"This was something I was scared of," said Coleman, after Friday's defeat.

"I knew that if we did not turn in the same level of performance, we would be punished.

"I warned the players but my warnings weren't heeded and Wrexham were the better team. They fully deserved to win and I have no complaints about the result.

"Too many of the players were off the pace. We didn't pass the ball like we can, we didn't close them down or create chances like we can. We didn't play well.

"I have got to take some of the blame. I had read the script and, if I had had more gumption, I would have made four or five changes to guard against that.

"I didn't, I went with what I saw after a magnificent performance on Tuesday and I stuck with the team and we were punished for it.

"The sad thing is they wanted it more than us. That's hard to take if you are a manager of any side but particularly at home."

It was meant to be a big night for the Reds with midfielder Andy Procter making his 200th appearance for Stanley, most people raving about the Bradford result and the hope that a win would finally move Stanley up among those teams battling it out at the top end of the table.

Instead it went wrong from the off.

David Brown did have an early effort blocked but that was basically it from the Reds going forward until the late appearance of ex-Dragon Lee McEvilly who was determined to make a mark against his old club and almost did in a late flurry.

But the game was over by that stage as Wrexham didn't look a team struggling in the league while the Reds didn't like a side who should be high on confidence.

The visitors almost stunned the Reds in the 13th minute when Danny Williams got his head to a Mark Jones' corner which hit the upright before it was eventually cleared.

Wrexham were carving open the Reds defence and pressing forward and it seemed inevitable a goal would come.

And it did on 37 minutes when Chris Llewellyn's strike was blocked and the ball came out to the dangerous Neil Roberts on the edge of the area.

He wasn't closed down and he drilled a low shot into the corner of the net beyond the diving Ian Dunbavin.

It was hoped this would stun the jaded Reds into action but Wrexham continued to control the game and it must have been a half-time roasting by Coleman as he tried to shake his side up.

But they were never allowed to get into gear by Wrexham who overcame the Reds in midfield and continued to thwart every Stanley attack.

Tall defender Steve Evans came on at the interval and he made sure the Reds' frontline wasn't give a sniff on goal - as they were restricted to long range efforts which didn't really test Wrexham keeper Anthony Williams.

And it was only the legs of keeper Dunbavin which prevented a second for Wrexham in the 58th minute after Michael Proctor headed Neil Taylor's cross goalwards.

Evans couldn't find the target from a Wrexham corner but then, on 66 minutes, Jones raced down the right wing and placed in the perfect cross which the unmarked Roberts had all the time in the world to fire home.

It was the Welsh striker's fourth goal of the season and, after getting some flack this campaign for his lack of goals, he certainly chipped in with a Man of the Match show to silence any critics.

The Reds were having little joy with the 5-3-2 formation which worked so well against Mansfield and Bradford.

And so, with 20 minutes left, Coleman introduced two wingers in Shaun Whalley and John Miles.

And the Reds' chief also brought on former Racecourse hitman McEvilly as he looked to make an impact against his old club - and respond to the visiting fans who had given him some stick.

Whalley did make some strong runs but couldn't find an end to them while McEvilly's first touch was to twist and turn in the area and force a save out of rarely tested Williams.

And the striker headed just wide minutes later while Reds' defender Mark Roberts had a go but it was easy for the goalie.

However, it was the visitors who didn't give in - Neil Roberts did appear to be pulled down by Mark Roberts in the area but nothing was given; Proctor had an effort saved by Dunbavin and, at the death, youngster Robbie Garrett's 25-yard screamer was pushed out by the Stanley keeper.

It was a sickener for Coleman who would rather have been doing the lung-bursting 12 minute sprint he had promised he would do in front of his his team if they secured back-to-back wins.

"Give Wrexham their due, they have done a number on us, they have watched us and they knew how we played and have counter acted that," said the dejected boss.

"We have got to be more inventive in and around the box and, when our midfielders get the ball, they have got to use it better.

"We didn't take the game to them like we did on Tuesday and we were flat.

"If you have a lot of players that are flat it is difficult to win a game.

"We had eight or nine players who, in my opinion, got nine out of ten on Tuesday and you would struggle to get one that got more than six against Wrexham."

He added: "We changed the game to a Friday night but you can't legislate that the players will turn in an insipid performance.

"I was delighted with the fans who got behind us but it wasn't down to the fans or the fact we switched the game we lost - it was our approach.

"I have learnt that you have to trust your first instincts. I should have changed the team. When you smell a rat you should act on it."