THE result was all-important - but John Coleman let his players know that a repeat of that performance will not be tolerated.
The manager was fuming after a lack-lustre show against the UniBond Premier strugglers on Monday night and he kept his players in the dressing room for some time after the final whistle in the semi-final clash.
It had seemed like a dream start when Chris Butler celebrated his first Reds goal with a neat chip over the keeper with just 140 seconds on the clock but then Bridge could have nicked it but couldn't exploit gaps in the Reds' defence.
And while it wasn't good enough for the manager, at least Stanley are through to their first final of the season and are on course to lift the trophy they won in 2002.
"The best team lost and there is no hiding from the fact," said the boss. "We scored early on and it was a dream start but then they were the better team. They should have won the game, they had the better chances.
"It is difficult as, without being patronising to them, it is their cup final - it is the biggest game for them in their players' minds.
"But I never had any trouble getting up for these games when I was playing because of the way I was so I am disappointed with the way we approached the game.
"We didn't pass the ball, we made some silly mistakes, we didn't give them the respect they deserved, we tried to be too cocky on the ball and made umpteen errors. The only saving grace is that we are in the final.
"I spoke to the lads at length after the game and all I can hope is that we got our bad game out of the way. I have cancelled the days off for the rest of the week and we will work hard to get it right."
Like the manager said, Stanley couldn't have had a better start.
Coleman had a strong side out with Jonathan Smith starting in place of Mike Flynn at centre back, Paul Howarth on the right of midfield and Danny Alcock getting the nod in goal.
And, as they pressed in the opening minutes, Butler got the ball on the edge of the area and he chipped it over the keeper and into the back of the net for a wonder goal from the left back.
It seemed like that would be the start of a rout with guesses ranging from a five goal win to a 10 goal thriller - but Bamber Bridge had other ideas.
Peter Wright, the former Northwich frontman, and Chris Ward, who was at Birmingham City, linked up well together and caused Stanley no end of problems.
Wright broke through on six minutes but had his low shot saved by Alcock while a deflected effort fell to unmarked Ashley McManus on the left of the area and he tested Alcock with a fierce strike on 18 minutes.
Wright got the better of the Reds' defence a minute later but fired well over the bar while Ward had a go from the edge of the area and again was off-target.
Stanley were struggling to keep tabs on the pair although it looked like Stanley's cup hero of the past, striker Lee McEvilly, would give the home side a cushion on 27 minutes but his blistering free kick was centimetres wide of the post.
And, following a good passing move involving Paul Mullin and McEvilly, Bridge goalie Andy Banks had to be at his best to keep out Rory Prendergast who was sliding in at the near post.
But the Preston side continued to pose the more dangerous threat in front of goal coming close with a John Turner free kick which tested Alcock just before the break.
Stanley defender Robbie Williams did have one last surge, starting and finishing a move out of defence on the stroke of half-time, but his downward header bounced wide.
The sporadic downpours made it hard for the players but the lower league side seemed to cope with it better, especially after the break.
Turner had another shot which was just over Alcock's crossbar while Stuart Shepherd had a free header from a corner which the Reds goalie fortunately held on to.
Wright's shot from a tight angle was deflected for a corner as Stanley struggled to look like a side flying high in the Nationwide Conference.
However, there were still sparks of what they can produce and McEvilly will be disappointed he didn't add to his tally after he shrugged off Shepherd and burst into the area but his final shot - with just Banks to beat - was high, wide and into the brave souls behind the goal.
And the visitors were not for giving up. Turner did well to outwit the Stanley backline and find defender Jimmy King whose swerving shot was saved by Alcock while Wright nicked the ball off Williams just outside the area but the Reds keeper managed to come out and clear.
Jonathan Smith had two good chances to finally settle any nerves in the last 10 minutes as he got on the end of a McEvilly free kick in the six yard box but ballooned his shot over while his header, from a Peter Cavanagh ball in, was off-target.
Bamber forced late pressure - and are apparently regular scorers late into games - with Ward coming close again on 88 minutes before a Turner free kick was touched away by Alcock and a Wright ball skimmed dangerously across the face of goal as they tried to force extra-time.
But fortunately Stanley were able to force a succession of injury-time corners and keep Bridge at bay with Ian Craney almost making the score more respectable but Banks got his hand to his strike.
"We dropped our guard and level of performance," continued Coleman. "On our day we can beat anybody and, no disrespect to Bamber Bridge as on the night they were good, but we should have beat them more comprehensively.
"We can't take any games lightly and the lads will have been put through four hard days training this week to remind them of that."
