If Saturday’s defeat at Dagenham left Paul Cook frustrated, Tuesday’s 2-0 loss at home to Oxford United at least went some way towards appeasing the Stanley boss.
The outcome may have been the same, but Cook found plenty of positives from a determined display by a patched up young team made up of several square pegs in round holes.
Asa Hall’s finishing prowess proved the difference on the night, but his goals aside, the hosts stood up to the challenge of an experienced, physical Oxford side with momentum very much on their side. On the evidence of their midweek showing at the Crown Ground, Chris Wilder’s team will take all the beating in the end of season play-offs.
Little wonder, then, Cook was keen to accentuate the positives, despite seeing his side succumb to back-to-back losses in the space of four days.
Jamie Devitt’s incessant probing and craft marked him out as the game’s most creative influence, the pace of Micah Evans posed the visitors’ backline numerous problems while the versatile Peter Murphy gave a performance in the heart of the defence which suggested he could yet make the position his own.
In fact, had the quality of Stanley’s finishing matched their approach play, Cook might well have been reflecting on a worthy point against a side with promotion in their sights.
"I was really pleased with the performance – it’s always an indication of how well you have played when the crowd applaud you off at the end," he said.
"The crowd’s reaction to a performance is always important and sometimes you don’t have to win a game to earn their applause and this was one of those occasions.
"We didn’t make the most of our chances on the night and that is an area of our game we have to improve – but I cannot criticise the lads for that performance, I thought we were outstanding.
"Our forward players were a threat all night and defensively we had some really good performances. We were beaten 2-0 by an Oxford team we respect and wish well, but from our perspective there were some really pleasing aspects to our play."
So short on defensive numbers was Cook that Stanley lined up with striker Craig Lindfield at right back, while Evans, Michael Liddle and Padraig Amond all came into the side as a result of the growing injury list.
But if the visitors sensed Stanley were there for the taking, Cook’s side quickly demonstrated otherwise. Neither side created much in the way of chances in the opening half hour, but the hosts matched Oxford’s work rate through the middle and, with Kevin McIntyre flashing a volley wide from 25 yards, the hosts gradually built up a head of steam.
The game came to life with a flurry of activity at both ends minutes before the break. Firstly, Stanley’s best opportunity of the night fell to their best player, Devitt. Evans combined with Luke Joyce on the right and his cross dropped for Devitt to volley beyond Us’ goalkeeper Ryan Clarke. With the ball heading towards the bottom corner of the Oxford net, Jake Wright slid towards his own goal and managed to hack the ball off the line to deny Devitt.
That close call promoted a period of pressure from the home side, Oxford resisting a series of corners as Stanley turned up the heat.
However, just as they appeared to be taking control, Cook’s boys were dealt a kick in the teeth. Oxford broke away down the left and when Charlie Barnett cut out James Constable’s delivery into the area, the ball ran kindly for Hall who powered a low drive wide of Lee Nicholls.
Hall went close to a second in the opening minutes of the second half, his back-post header smothered by Nicholls.
Accrington were desperately close to an equaliser when Amond met Evans’ cross with a fine glancing header, Clarke adding weight to his claim as the best goalkeeper in the division with a stunning save, diving across his line to deny the striker with a fingertip save.
Bobby Grant should have done better when a combination of craft and determination saw Devitt pick his way through the Oxford backline before slipping a pass to the on-loan Scunthorpe striker. With just Clarke to beat, Grant fired horribly high over the top.
Hall showed no such profligacy when he met Constable’s 73rd minute cross, heading his second goal from eight yards to wrap up the three points.
The introduction of youngsters Will Hatfield and youth team skipper Ryan Hopper may not have been enough to turn the game on its head, but there was enough promise in both their cameos to give Cook reasons to be cheerful.
