GOALKEEPER Darren Randolph is backing his former Accrington Stanley team-mates to bounce back tomorrow (Sat) at play-off contenders York.
The Conference leaders have picked up two points out of their last nine and suffered a shock loss to bottom club Southport on Tuesday - their first defeat in 21 Conference clashes.
The Reds do still hold an 11-point gap at the top of the table while title challengers Hereford have a game in hand and it means tomorrow's clash is huge as Stanley bid to end their blip.
Randolph, now on the bench for Premiership side Charlton Athletic following his three month loan spell with the Reds which ended against Southport in November, is sure Stanley will last the pace with seven games left.
He said: "I have every confidence they will bounce back.
"No footballers like losing but especially not the players I knew down there and I am sure they will come back and win the games they need to.
"We had bad results when I was there against Morecambe but then went on a good run.
"They will do it. The players there are good enough and there is enough quality in the squad so I don't see a problem at all.
"I still speak to Rob (Elliot), Gary Roberts and Mangy (Andy Mangan) and follow Accrington's progress every time they play.
"I have just been disappointed that I have been either with Charlton or with the Republic of Ireland so I have missed the side when they have played around London.
"But I want to get to Accrington again before the end of the season and hopefully be involved in any celebrations."
Randolph was a star for Stanley but cant believe how his life has changed since he returned to the Valley.
"I was prepared to stay longer at Accrington as I enjoyed it but I have come back to Charlton, one of the keepers Dean Kiely has left, and now I am on the bench for Premiership and FA Cup games.
"I have just been offered an extension to my contract as well so it has all worked out."
Stanley do face a tough task tomorrow against the in-form fourth placed side as their small squad is now down to the bare bones.
Left back Leam Richardson is suspended for the next three games following his sending off against Stevenage and Robbie Williams is also banned for tomorrow's game after he was dismissed at Haig Avenue.
Centre half Andy Tretton and captain Peter Cavanagh are still injured but could be called on tomorrow as Stanley are short at the back.
And Coleman did not rule out bringing someone in before yesterday's 5pm deadline for loan signings until the end of the season.
The Reds boss, meanwhile, was dejected after his side's 2-0 loss to relegation-threatened Southport which also saw the end of their proud record of scoring in every league match this season - especially as Ian Craney had a late penalty saved.
"I am really devastated that Ian didn't score with the penalty to keep our record going - that sickens me and hurts alot," said Coleman.
"It was the end of a 20-game unbeaten run but now we have got to start again.
"We have got to eliminate silly mistakes.
"And it is unbelievable that we can go 30-odd games only getting one man sent off and then we have got four in four games and have things going against us.
"We have had a bit of bad luck along the way."
Richardson (twice), Williams and Danny Ventre have been sent off in the last four games while Chris Butler and Andy Mangan were dismissed earlier in the season.
But the Reds boss is remaining upbeat and knows five more wins will definitely see the Reds back in the Football League.
Stanley have 78 point and can reach 99 while title challengers Hereford can reach 91.
"We are still in a healthy position but we have to get out heads down," he said.
"Maybe this will shut up people who have been saying we have won the league. Nobody in the club has been saying it but everyone else around us has so now we will just get on with the jobs ourselves and won't speak to anyone else."
He knows York will go all out to win - they have won their last four home games and they almost broke their club record with seven successive wins before they drew with Canvey on Saturday.
"Whichever game we play now will be hard," said Coleman. "But if we play like we did against Southport, we will win more than we lose.
"We need to win five games and need to do that as soon as we can so we are not hanging on in the last few games.
"We have got to knuckle down and hope Hereford drop a couple of points to give us a lift. I am confident in the squad and confident in my ability to motivate the players."
