ACCRINGTON Stanley striker Paul Mullin is hoping a few days off will have boosted the players ahead of the 20 League Two games which will determine the Reds' future.

The Stanley players had a couple of days off this week after a busy Christmas schedule which saw them pick up four points out of three games with the other abandoned.

"We haven't had much time off over Christmas with travelling to Bristol the Saturday before, we were in training all over Christmas and then stayed in Wrexham on New Years Eve," said the stand-in captain.

"And I think we did look a bit leggy and tired against Boston so hopefully this will have recharged our batteries ready for the next two homes games."

The hitman, with seven league goals this season, admitted the 1-0 defeat to Boston - who were just one point and one place above Stanley ahead of Saturday's game - was hard to take.

"We are all disappointed as we didn't play well. We wanted something from the game and we believed we could win it.

"But it wasn't a quality game from the start and the first 45 minutes was probably the worst I have played in. It was a shocking game, with few clear cut chances and I think we improved in the second half when our passing game got going but we still just huffed and puffed really.

"It was so frustrating - for us, the management and the fans - we needed something from the game and we should have got it."

And Mullin is hoping in the next two homes games - against Notts County tomorrow and Mansfield on Tuesday - that the Reds finally come good, especially as they haven't won at the FES since September.

"There is no doubt about it, these are massive games. We have got to go back to making the Fraser Eagle Stadium a fortress - we know it is a hard place to come to and we have got to use that.

"We had pressure of winning games last year because we were at the top and we didn't want to start dropping points. This is a different kind of pressure and it is heightened by the fact it is our first year back in the League.

"What we know we have got to do is try and relax a bit more on the ball. It is difficult with the situation we are in as, even when we go 1-0 up, you can see the tension there. We start sitting too deep and teams have come back at us.

"Coley and Jimmy have told us to relax more and express ourselves more like we were doing last year. Hopefully this will come.

"We are in a relegation dog-fight, there is no denying that, but I am confident we will get out of it. We won the Conference title last year and there have been mitigating circumstances for our position this year which have been well documented - the loss of Ian (Craney) and Gary (Roberts) and our horrendous injury list.

"But, with a few additions and with players coming back, I am sure it will make a big difference. Cav (Peter Cavanagh), Rommy (Boco) and Andy (Tretton) are on their way back and will be like new signings while, if we get players in, I am sure we will start picking up points."

The last time Stanley had a league 1-0 win was against Scarborough last season - although Mullin did score the solitary goal against Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup in August.

"I would settle for any win - and a 1-0 scrappy win would do tomorrow," he said. "I would take that now - and perhaps me scoring the winner would be nice!

"But we haven't made the most of playing at home. We have had good spells but not been able to capitalise on it and we are going to have to address that."

He knows both Notts County and Mansfield will be tough ties as both are on a downward swoop.

"We didn't show up at Notts County in the first half at their place and they were 3-0 up. We got it back to 3-2 with late goals but that flattered us really. We have put in much better performances since and haven't been rolled over by anyone.

"Mansfield have lost their talisman in Richie Barker and he has scored a lot of goals for them.

"I certainly prefer Mansfield without him but one man doesn't make a team and they will be ready to fight for it. We have got to be ready for the fight too."