THE 100 Stanley fans who made the trip to Bristol were worried the thick fog might cause the game to be postponed.

Within 30 minutes of the kick off, they were praying for the mist to descend.

By that time, the Stanley players couldn't see any light anyway as they were 3-0 down and had not mustered a shot on target - that didn't come until the 54th minute.

And, to add to their misery, with the last words of the management "don't get sent off" ringing in their ears, Andy Mangan saw his own red mist descend and was having an early bath on 66 minutes - the Reds fourth dismissal in seven games.

There were few positives to take out of Saturday where, unusually, Stanley were not able to reproduce that fighting spirit which has seen them score last minute goals in recent matches and they just seemed to lack energy and ideas.

Granted they were missing defender Michael Welch with a calf problem and have a host of long-term injuries which led to the bench consisting of four teenagers - with three 17-year-olds as well as Rikki Baines, 19, alongside keeper Ian Dunbavin.

But the supporters who had made the long journey on Christmas weekend expected at least to take some heart from the performance as they had done in recent games.

Instead, it was the Reds worst show of the season and, but for the MK Don scoring a late goal to beat Rochdale, Stanley could have dropped into the bottom three.

The statistics remain poor reading - seven defeats in nine league games, two points out of 27 and Stanley made it 14 goals conceded in four league games.

Manager John Coleman sent assistant Jimmy Bell to do the after-match press-conference and he was as shell-shocked as everyone else.

"Me and John take the blame for our players performance," he said. "The defending was abysmal for the goals. We had a game plan and it went out of the window after five minutes. We continue to make mistakes at crucial times and it is not good enough.

"I don't know what is happening, the players are good enough but it is lapses of concentration and it happening week in week out and we are getting punished."

Mangan can expect a fine from the club after his dismissal. He blocked a free kick - which did seem a little harsh - to get a yellow and then allegedley said something to the opposition keeper which the referee heard and showed the striker a straight red.

"We will deal with that matter internally," continued Bell. "The last thing we said is don't anyone get sent off and what Andy Mangan has done is ridiculous.

"This is the lowest me and John have been as managers as we are not used to battling at the bottom of the league and we have got to show character and get the players going again."

Stanley had to rearrange their side at the Memorial Ground with Andy Todd dropping to right back while defender Joe Jacobson kept his place on the left wing.

But there was a sign of what was to come in the third minute when the Pirates had a free header from a free kick - and it was ruled off-side.

However one minute later, Andy Sandell on the left wing twisted and turned his way past Todd and Robbie Williams left Richard Walker unmarked and the striker had time to guide his header past Rob Elliot.

However, the Reds had a great chance to get back in it when Shaun Whalley raced to the by-line and played in a brilliant ball for Paul Mullin at the near post on 14 minutes. Mullin tried to back flick the ball into the net but it went narrowly wide - and with that Stanley's hopes went.

By 21 minutes, Phil Edwards was judged to have handled the ball and defender Steve Elliot hit a low 25-yard free kick which didn't seem like it would cause too much trouble but it took a bad bounce and sneaked past Elliot's left hand and into the bottom of the net.

And on Bristol's next attack, Stuart Nicholson turned in the area with four defenders around him, Edwards challenged him and the ref pointed to the penalty spot and booked the centre half.

Walker calmly sent Elliot the wrong way and that was that - game over and fog watch began for the Stanley faithful who needed such a Christmas miracle.

The home side understandably took their foot off the gas and Stanley did liven up after the break.

Their first shot on target came from a Mangan 20-yard free kick on 54 minutes which Steve Phillips saved but Stanley's day was really summed up when Whalley and Jay Harris challenged for the same ball on the edge of the area, tackled each other and both ended up grounded.

Then came Mangan's red card although skipper Paul Mullin had a good chance immediately after to give the fans some cheer when he got on the end of a long ball but Phillips got a touch to send his effort wide.

The Pirates then didn't need to rob Stanley as they were gifted a fourth goal a minute from time when Nicholson ran onto a loose ball and got his foot to it before Elliot and it trickled over the line.

It was heads down time as the whistle went with the Rovers 5105 crowd going home happy and Coleman and co left to puzzle yet another defeat, another suspension and the ominous news that bottom club Macclesfield had won.