THERE have been a lot of crucial wins in Stanley's recent history - and the victory over Halifax could rank high up among them.
Manager John Coleman admitted after Monday's game that defeat against the fellow promotion contenders in front of the Sky television cameras would have "put us to bed" and virtually ended any play-off hopes.
But the three points will hopefully be the spur the inconsistent side need to get that much-needed consistency, go on a run and fulfil that dream of a Football League return in 2005.
It is still a big ask with so many teams battling for the top five spots and Stanley having played at least one more game. But the Reds made sure they started the New Year as one of the challengers and now Coleman is determined his side should press on and make it a year to remember.
"We have let ourselves down in the past," said the Reds chief. "I don't think this season we have won three games on the spin and we have not been consistent. Now we have got to get our heads down and pick up a few points in succession.
"This was certainly a game we couldn't afford to lose. Halifax have a couple of games in hand on us and they could have put us to bed if they had beaten us. But now we are right back in the hunt with them and the rest of the Conference."
Stanley had slipped to 12th after the weekend results and, as Coleman said, a defeat couldn't be contemplated.
But it did look like the Reds could be heading that way as Town forced the early pressure in front of the watching millions.
Dean Howell posed a threat on the left wing as he pressurised Paul Howarth although the right back did manage to keep tabs on most of his tricky moves.
Neil Ross, Adam Quinn and the livewire Howell - who blasted over after Paul Crichton had raced out of his area - all had early chances with Stanley resorting to pumping long balls forward without reward.
Stanley were struggling to get a foothold in the game but still had half chances through Ian Craney and Ged Brannan - but that's all they were as Howell dominated the early stages.
And the bustling left winger almost set his side on their way on 30 minutes when he shrugged off Howarth before finding striker Ross but the hitman's wayward finishing saved the Reds.
However, Halifax got the goal they threatened on 37 minutes when Ross and Howell worked a neat one-two with Howell's shot being pushed out by Crichton.
The ball bobbled behind the Stanley keeper, Howell was there with his back to goal and - as the defence raced back onto the line - the winger produced a cheeky back heel to open the scoring.
"Howell was a handful," admitted Coleman. "He got his goal and we knew what we had to do was concentrate on him. To an extent it worked as he did not get a lot of great balls into the box which was down to the lads out there."
His goal, however, did mean the odds were stacked against the Reds as they have never come back and won when they have gone behind this season.
But, it did act as a spur to them as they suddenly started to find their feet with Paul Mullin just failing to get on the end of a Howarth cross and both Rory Prendergast's and Craney's corners caused panic among the Town backline.
It was still, though, just half chances until Jagielka scored a scorcher. Prendergast had struggled to make his usual runs down the wing but, two minutes before the break, he played in a superb ball to the far post. There was still a lot for Jagielka to do but he hit it on the volley and his fierce shot went in off the post.
Stanley needed that bit of luck - last week Jagielka had hit the post and it had bounced out but this time his strike deserved to be rewarded for his second goal in two games.
"It was a great goal," enthused Coleman. "It was probably the first time we had got in at the back post.
"We had had a few chances there but hadn't gambled and when we did, we got our rewards. We have got players who can score goals and they all have to chip in. Jaggers has got two and they are like buses - he hasn't scored all season and then it's two in two games. It's about taking chances. Unfortunately in the past, we have been punished by missing them but not against Halifax."
It was with renewed optimism that the Reds came out after the break. They did have a lucky escape early on when Martin Foster's accurate free kick was headed against the top of the crossbar by defender Denny Ingram.
But then, following a Howell foul, Prendergast took a pin-point free kick and Ged Brannan stooped low to head the ball into the top of the net on 51 minutes to give the Reds the lead.
Prendergast could have had a third minutes later but shot straight at Dunbavin while Craney's crossfield pass to Jagielka left him sprinting down the wing and he found Mullin but the striker couldn't make firm contact.
Halifax tried to change things around and appealed for two penalties for a Williams foul and a Andy Procter hand ball while Crichton had to finger-tip over another Ingram header on 77 minutes.
Stanley, meanwhile, forced a succession of corners which proved troublesome for the home defence with Mullin, Brannan and Jagielka all having a go. But it seemed like it would be that awful case of deja vu for Stanley - after they had thrown away a 2-1 lead at Gravesend in the previous game - when Shay sub Alex Meechan got in front of the defence. But fortunately his shot was inches wide of the far post.
And it looked like Mullin had then wrapped it up with a third on 87 minutes from a Prendergast cross but up went the assistant referee's flag to deny him.
There was still time for the Stanley fans hearts to be in their mouths in the dying seconds when Peter Cavanagh took the legs of Lewis Killeen on the edge of the area but, to the visitors relief, Howell blasted over the crossbar and Stanley could celebrate with a group hug at the end.
"We have probably played better than that in recent games and not won," said Coleman. "Sometimes you have just got to dig in and we showed we had learnt our lessons from the Gravesend game when we led and invited them back into it. It is the first time we have come from behind this season. We changed the formation after a bit as we had looked nervous and needed to be more proactive than reactive. We had to be more positive and we started to be more of a threat, defended higher up the pitch and put them under some pressure.
"We started gambling on things and making things happen. If we had of got a third goal I might have relaxed a bit but even the best teams in the world when they are leading 2-1 away from home late on get a bit jittery and we are no different. The results hadn't gone that badly over the weekend, as there were a lot of draws. Now we are back up there - and are unbeaten in 2005!"
