Stanley boss John Coleman is waiting on news of Kevin¿Long and Ian Craney – but doesn’t expect to add anyone else to his side ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday.

Burnley defender Long and Fleetwood’s Craney have both been on loan with the Reds recently and Coleman wants both back at the Crown Ground – but it depends on circumstances.

"For Ian we are still waiting for Fleetwood and him to sort out his position and it’s a bit of a stalemate. We are not in a position to pay his wages so we can’t take him on loan," said Coleman with the midfielder still under contract at Highbury but wanting a Reds’ return

Long broke his toe playing for Stanley on January 15 and they need to sign him up before Monday, after a three-month loan spell, if Stanley want him to the end of the season.

"We are waiting to find out how his injury is before we take him long-term," said the Reds chief. "But, if we don’t get these, we haven’t really got the money to bring anyone else in."

Accrington wideman Chris Turner was being chased on a loan deal by Blue Square Premier side Barrow but Coleman said: "They contacted us last week but haven’t followed it up so he is staying with us."

The transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday, then there is a week without loan deals before the loan window closes on March 24.

Meanwhile, Coleman said the Reds have had specialists in this week to look at the pitch. They took some samples but it will be a few weeks before the club get the results.

Stanley had a new pitch laid at the Crown Ground over the summer at a cost of £70,000 to try and avoid the numberous postponements of last season.

But their clash against Hereford last Saturday was one of only two in League Two which fell victim to the weather – following on from a number of earlier call-offs.

"We have had a specialist in during the week to have a look at it as there is a bad bog on one side," said Coleman.

"I didn’t have much luck last weekend as ours was off and I travelled to Bradford to watch them and theirs was called off when I got there."

The Reds’ inactivity has seen them drop to 15th in League Two and they face two big games this week as they look to climb the table.

First up is Crewe at Gresty Road, who are in the automatic promotion spots, followed by a local derby at home to Morecambe on Tuesday.

"If we can get on a mini-run like we did before then that can take us back up the table," continued the Reds boss. "In three or four games you can be fighting for promotion or battling relegation.

"We need to get into the play-off spots or knocking about in and around them and then that will make the run-in very interesting.

"As has been shown in this league, anyone can beat anyone and there is only really Chesterfield who have stolen a march on anyone else.

"I watched Crewe on Tuesday night and they are a good side who score a lot of goals.

"They have gone third which will have boosted their confidence but we are a decent side and know we are capable of beating them if we play to our best.

"It is so tight that two wins will be huge for us and we owe Crewe one as we were poor last year against them. And Morecambe, we might have a good record against them, but that counts for nothing.

"The players are desperate to play now."

A strong Stanley XI played a Preston side in the Lancashire Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday afternoon but, after a 2-2 draw, lost 5-4 on penalties with Craig Lindfield and Leam Richardson missing their spot kicks.

Coleman added: "I hate losing any games and we were winning until the last few minutes.

"It was Liverpool in the semi-final so I am gutted."