DARRAN Kempson says he owes a debt of gratitude to John Coleman for saving his Football League career – and the Stanley defender is glad to pay it back on the field.

The 25-year-old was in the Blue Square Premier League with Wrexham when Coleman snapped him up in the summer and finally got him to sign a permanent deal after two other loan spells at the Crown Ground.

And the defender is turning in some outstanding performances as Stanley have won six out of seven league games to move within three points of the play-off spots with three games in hand.

And they don’t get much bigger than a local derby with Morecambe tomorrow as they look to extend their winning run.

"John Coleman gave me a lifeline back into the league as I was with Wrexham and wasn’t sure what would happen," said Kempson. "But I said to him when I signed that I would give everything I could and I make sure I go out to give 110 per cent every match."

Accrington have been renowned for conceding goals in their previous three League Two seasons where they have battled relegation, but now Kempon and co are keeping it tight and the 10th placed Reds are only looking up.

He continued: "The last two times I was here we were near the bottom of the league so to be pushing for promotion is great – I just really hope we can do it.

"I played a handful of League One games for Crewe but most of my time has been in League Two and the Conference so it would be great to step back up.

"Every player strives to play at the highest level and I want to keep progressing and believe we can as a team.

"It really is unbelievable what is happening at the club and we just want to keep it going."

The only blemish on an otherwise outstanding campaign was his sending off in the FA¿Cup defeat to Fulham after two yellow cards.

"I felt it was harsh for the first yellow and I should have known that it was a Premiership referee and he would be harder on us,"¿he conceded.

"I can’t complain about the second one as it wasn’t a good challenge but I think it was the adrenalin, the whole day and it was over the top.

"It was hard to take but tackling and heading are part of my game and if you take that away, then I am in trouble! These things are just part of football but it was a real kick in the teeth."

He sat out a one-game ban against Aldershot but was recalled to the starting XI against his former club Shrewsbury on Saturday.

And there he turned in a superb show in Accrington’s 1-0 win which will have made the rest of the League sit up and take notice of the Reds, if they hadn’t already.

"I knew I had to make up for the sending-off," said Kempson. "So personally it was a huge result for me. Paul Simpson let me go from Shrews-bury but I have no bad feelings, although it is nice to go back and win.

"I just shook hands at the end and then got into the dressing room and celebrated with the lads. We know it was a big win for us."

Kempson knows it is third time lucky at the Reds and is full of admiration for his team-mates.

"We have got some really good players here. Michael Symes, Jimmy Ryan, Luke Joyce, Bobby Grant, Phil Edwards, Tom Lees ... the list goes on.

"We have also got a great team spirit and we have got to keep that and hopefully we will make the play-offs.

"I remember looking at the odds at the start of the season and we were everyone’s favourites to go down.

"It was said that we had a low budget and not signed any decent players and things like that hurt. You want to go out and prove people wrong and it is a big motivation."

And tomorrow he wants to show another former club – Morecambe – that he has got what it takes in a big local derby. "The games keep coming thick and fast. It’s another one of my former clubs but I have had a few!" he continued.

"I am gutted for our captain Andy Procter who will be suspended but we will just have to pull together. We beat them at their place so I can’t see why we shouldn’t do it at ours. They have been doing well and so have we so it’s all set up nicely. I am sure we will win though!"

And, if fit, he could be marking Stanley legend and Shrimps striker Paul Mullin, who was injured in Morecambe’s Boxing Day defeat to Stanley but came back last weekend.

"I seem to have spent my career marking Paul - I enjoy the challenge," added Kempson. "I just love playing. I would play games every Tuesday and Saturday as it beats training."

Mullin admitted: "It will be strange going back but it will be nice to see everyone again. I just hope I play some part."

Manager Coleman can’t wait for tomorrow’s clash against his former club – and seeing Stanley’s record appearance holder "Mullers" again.

"Paul won’t know which dressing room to go into!" said Coleman. "I know results haven’t gone Morecambe’s way recently but they have put in some decent performances and been unlucky.

"It should be a good atmosphere and the only disappointment is that Proc is suspended."

Procter picked up a one-match ban for two yellow cards against Shrewsbury and was due to miss Barnet midweek but it was postponed with a waterlogged pitch.

Stanley make the long trip to Northampton on Tuesday, who have hit a run of form. "It’s probably not a good time to be playing them," added Coleman.