IT'S usually hard to be content after a defeat but John Coleman admitted his side had 'a spring in their step' after Tuesday's loss to Doncaster Rovers.

The Reds desperately needed a moral boost from the game against the League One side in the Northern area quarter-finals of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy after a bad run of results in League Two.

But 2-0 down after 30 minutes, and down to ten men after 50, certainly meant that Doncaster could have inflicted a heavier and demoralising defeat on the Reds.

Instead, Stanley rallied and battled and created the better second half chances and the manager has taken a lot of heart from a solid second half show which he hopes bodes well for tomorrow's league game.

"We showed what we are about," said Coleman. "We showed great character, a great work ethic and team spirit and we finished the game with determination.

"At the end it wouldn't have mattered if it was 2-0 or 3-0 but we didn't want to lose the second half and we showed that.

"I can't be too downbeat as I count it as a moral victory in the second half.

"I think it has upped the confidence. We came off against Grimsby on Saturday a bit down but we came off the Doncaster pitch with a spring in our step.

"We have come off the pitch with a steely determination that slowly we are going to get things right.

"I have never had sides that have thrown in the towel and we showed a desire which can't be faulted."

The Trophy is the only thing which has provided some high points in the last six weeks with penalty wins over League One sides Carlisle and Blackpool.

But the 50+ Stanley fans must have been fearing the worst in the opening half an hour as Rovers three pronged attack piled on the pressure.

Paul Heffernan had an early chance kept out by goalkeeper Rob Elliot although Stanley's lively frontman Andy Mangan carved out a great opening of his own after racing into the box but he fired across the goal and wide.

Doncaster kept breaking quickly and Jonathan Forte got the better of Danny Ventre on the wing and set up Heffernan with the striker squeezing the ball in - seemingly via Phil Edwards - for the opener on 13 minutes.

There followed a spell of home pressure with top scorer Forte always a threat

But that is not to say the Reds didn't have their chances.

Mangan's corners were always a danger and he played one in with defender Michael Welch's header being cleared off the line by Rovers' Gareth Roberts.

However, such is the Reds luck at the moment as, after being denied at one end, Doncaster went straight down the other end and scored the second.

It again came from the left with Mark McCammon's deflected shot falling to Sean Thornton on the edge of the area and he fired the ball low into the bottom corner of Elliot's net on 28 minutes.

It wouldn't have been a surprise if Stanley's heads had gone down after the recent string of results but Paul Mullin then had two good chances to get a goal back. The striker headed over Ventre's ball in and across the goal from Shaun Whalley's free kick.

But the woodwork then saved the Reds on the stroke of half-time when troublesome winger James Coppinger charged down the right and chipped the ball over the outrushing Elliot but the ball hit the inside of the far post and was cleared to safety.

The vocal Doncaster crowd were taunting Coleman with "Can we play you every week?" and "easy" and that must have hurt - but that was the half-time team talk sorted out and he waited for his troops to rally.

But things then went from bad to worse.

Just five minutes into the second half, Whalley went in with a high foot on the right wing and caught Theo Streete in the stomach who immediately slumped to the floor. The crowd erupted and the referee had the red card out of his pocket within seconds sending the dejected winger down the tunnel.

"I thought it was harsh," said Coleman. "It looked a lot worse but being in front of the stand hasn't helped and the lad's reaction hasn't helped. Shaun is not a dirty player. The ball was bouncing up and it was there to be played. Shaun went for it wholeheartedly and he has tried to pull out when he realised he wasnt going to get it and has caught the lad in the stomach. It wasn't deliberate."

While this might have led to a capitulation in some teams, it seemed to galvanise Stanley and they played some of the best football of the game.

They did have to withstand an early barrage with Coppinger's blistering strike superbly saved by Elliot and Heffernan took the ball around the keeper and was turning to celebrate as the ball headed for the empty net but Edwards did superbly well to race back and clear off the line.

But then Stanley restored some pride with a final 30 minutes where the 10 men piled the pressure on Doncaster, who admittedly might have taken their foot off the gas.

Defender Welch took charge and had a 30-yard free kick which crept just wide after a deflection. Leighton McGivern, who was on for Mullin, played a great ball in for Mangan and the striker fired through a crowd of bodies with Robbie Williams unlucky not to turn it in at the far post.

Then Welch, who is having his own "goal of the season competition" after his 40-yard leveller at Stockport, took the ball down on his chest on the edge of the area and tried an overhead kick which shaved the post.

"He keeps saying it was a bit of a Rivaldo," said Coleman. "Welchy had a couple of chances and was magnificent in the second half while we had one or two others that we just couldn't put away - that's our luck at the moment."

"I could have had a hat-trick," admitted the defender. "I am just a frustrated striker. Definitely Rivaldo in his hey day!"

The game did get heated towards the end with Andy Procter at the centre of most things as the Reds fought for every ball to deny Rovers any more goals - and they did to have a minor victory of their own. "Hopefully we can take this spirit into tomorrow," said Coleman.