JOHN Coleman knows people are tipping his play-off chasing Accrington side to slip-up - but he has no doubt they can last the pace.

After tax problems, player embargoes and three seasons battling relegation in League Two, it’s a shock to some that the Reds are up among the promotion chasers with a great chance of making the top seven come May.

But, with a squad of just 20 who have battled through half a season and now a fixture backlog due to postponements and their heroic FA¿Cup run, some observers believe that the Reds will fall by the wayside when it counts.

But not Coleman. He said: "It is a similar feeling as to when we won the Conference where people expected us to run out of steam and we just got stronger and the lads are confident.

"We are only a young team but the lads are prepared to put the work-rate in and listen and learn. They have the belief and it is up to me and Jimmy (assistant Jimmy Bell) to keep them up to the task.

"There are expectations now. We hammered home at the start of the season that the players had to expect more from each other, from Jimmy and myself and from the club and I told them not to accept second best.

"We have started to believe and confidence is oozing out of the squad at the moment and we have some good players. I said at the start of the season this is the strongest squad we have assembled and it has been proved right.

"You can see that the lads are disappointed themselves when they let players go or misplace a pass and it makes my job easier as you don’t have to tell them.

"You can see the team spirit as the lads on the bench are running onto the pitch congratulating the players for any win - they will all get their chance."

Stanley have never quite got into the play-off spots this season but have been hovering around 10th or 11th place due to their games in hand.

"We seem to be doing well but never move up the table," said the Reds chief. "So all we can do is keep going. While we are on a good run other teams around us are too, like Bury and Notts County and so we just have to keep winning games, get into the play-off positions and hopefully stay there."

Stanley have seven games in 21 days coming up and so they need to keep their form if they are to challenge at the top.

"The games are coming thick and fast and we have not to take things for granted. We are on a terrific journey at the moment but you have got to take it step by step. The minute you think you have got there you fall flat on your faces so you have got to keep improving and go that extra mile."

Asked how he keeps his players on their toes, Coleman joked: "With a big whip. No, we just keep talking to them. They are not animals - although Jimmy would like to train some of them like animals! - but you have to let them make decisions and take responsibility and not bark orders at them.

"They have got to understand why you want them to do certain things, how that can help them improve and they have been taking it on board and so far it’s all going well."