STANLEY manager John Coleman didn't know who to praise first - star striker Paul Mullin who celebrated a double or his back line who kept their first clean sheet since December in the Nationwide Conference.

The Reds boss couldn't hide his delight as his side overcame a potential banana skin and propelled themselves back into the coveted play-off places.

He admitted: "I said to one of their fans during the second half that I would be amazed if we kept a clean sheet as we never do. So it is nice to get one. It is a feather in the cap for the back line.

"But, at the other end, Paul Mullin was magnificent. I made a statement the other week that Lee McEvilly's performance was one of the most complete performances I have seen by a centre forward at Exeter.

"But Paul more than matched that. He was magnificent, he led the line superbly, got his two goals, held the ball up well and was even tracking back to win tackles at right back towards the end!

"He showed tremendous spirit and we need to show more of that between now and the end of the season."

The Reds have notoriously struggled against the sides lower down the league this season and Canvey represented a tough challenge for the players to come through after their Morecambe herioc and the long midweek trip.

But Mullin was able to settle any nerves on their first real attack when Steve Jagielka sent Rory Prendergast charging down the wing and the wide man delivered one of his inch perfect crosses which Stanley's top scorer fired home on seven minutes.

There was a lot of midfield action after that with Canvey struggling to get past the Reds backline and Stanley pressing forward without testing keeper Danny Potter.

Ian Craney, recalled to the starting line up in place of the suspended Lee McEvilly, tried to catch Potter out from the half way line but his effort was way off target while David Brown, on the right wing, wasn't far off with a volley from 25 yards out which was just wide of the Islander's goal.

But the home side did then enjoy a spell of pressure which tested the Reds' rearguard.

Defender Mike Flynn took the ball off the foot of the powerful Steve Burton in the area as he lined up to shoot and then the former Oldham centre back saved the Reds again in Canvey's best chance of the half.

Chris Duffy was allowed time and space to set up a strike on the edge of the area on 34 minutes and his effort was tipped out by Paul Crichton. But, with the goal gaping and top scorer Lee Boylan waiting to pounce, Flynn got there just ahead of him to clear the danger.

And Canvey came out the livelier side after the break with defender David Theobald just missing a Jeff Minton cross with his head while Burton shot well wide from distance.

But Stanley always looked the more dangerous on the break with Jagielka pushing the ball just too far after Stanley broke following a sweeping move involving Mullin and Brown while Craney fired into Potters' arms.

At the other end, Crichton dived low after Burton had held off Robbie Williams and saved at the striker's feet.

Then it looked as though Stanley were going to fall victim to

another fluke goal - similar to the Carlisle opener - when Duffy's cross-cum-shot seemed to be heading for the top corner of the net with Crichton stranded but it sailed wide much to the relief of the travelling, signing 50-strong fans.

But their worries were finally eased as Stanley carved out two great openings - and took the second to give themselves a two goal cushion - something which hadn't happened since the Barnet win.

With the first, Chris Butler's ball in found Mullin who aimed for goal from six yards out but Potter cleared with his feet - although he didnt seem to know too much about it.

But then the visitors burst through when Butler's free kick sent Prendergast through and he once more set up Mullin who this time headed home to make him the third joint top scorer in the Conference with 17 league goals.

Canvey, to their credit, never gave up with Burton and Boylan both coming close to upsetting the Reds clean sheet bid - but Stanley held on for their first since the 6-0 victory over Leigh in the Conference in December.

"It's always nice to win but it is only two wins and we can't get carried away," said Coleman.

"We started brightly but they had a spell for 15 minutes when they pinned us in and will consider themselves unlucky not to equalise. But once we got to grips with their left winger we were quite comfortable and could have won by three or four.

"We kept the game at a high tempo as we are better when we are on the front foot as when we sit back we tend to get sloppy and get punished.

"And it was nice to get a clean sheet. Hopefully we can get a few more between now and the end of the season."