KENNY Arthur has promised to be back fitter and stronger than ever as he awaits an operation on his broken leg which will keep him out for at least three months.

The Reds goalie was injured saving a certain goal in Stanley's emphatic 3-0 win over one-time Premiership side Bradford City on Tuesday night with loan midfielder Ian Craney also sidelined for a spell with a torn hamstring in the same game.

The former Partick Thistle goalie - who is a popular figure after putting in some strong performances for the Reds since he signed in the summer - was due to have an operation today in Manchester.

"They are going to put a plate in my fibula bone - apparently it is routine operation and, if there are no complications, I should be six weeks in plaster and then there is rehabilitation and then I have to build myself up to full fitness," said the keeper, 28, from Bradford Royal Infirmary.

"It is my first bad injury and I knew as soon as it happened.

"I had started to go to the right to save a shot and their lad hit it in the centre and I twisted and all the weight went on my right ankle. My studs just got stuck in the turf and it was just a freak injury.

"It is a nightmare for me but it won't change my personal goals for the season - I won't say what they are but I can still achieve them.

"And I won't let it beat me. I am under no illusions how hard it is to come back from injury but I will be back, hopefully fitter and stronger than ever.

"It shows what a close club it is as all the lads have been texting and phoning and telling me to keep my head up - and I will. I will get through it."

Ian Dunbavin will take over in the nets for tonight's game at home to Wrexham and boss John Coleman has every confidence in the former Liverpool trainee.

"I won't be getting another keeper on loan as Ian and Martin Fearon have a chance to prove themselves over the next few months," he said.

The club are also waiting for news on Craney's injury as the midfielder, on only his second game following his loan switch from Swansea, was having a scan this week. "It is a nightmare for Ian. We will not know the extent of his injury until he has a scan but we will be liaising with Swansea about him," added the Reds' boss.

The club are keeping their fingers-crossed it won't be as bad as first feared and that Craney, who has rarely been injured in his career, will be back well before his three month loan spell at the FES is up.

Both Dunbavin and David Brown came on to replace the injured pair in midweek and the whole team put in a stunning show at Bradford to move the Reds up to 12th spot in the league.

And Coleman is demanding more of the same against Lee McEvilly's old club Wrexham tonight - as Stanley switch to Friday night football in a bid to boost their low crowds.

"I like playing games under the floodlight. There will be some tired legs with three games in six days but we have a decent record when we have played on Fridays from our Conference days and we hope to continue it," said skipper Peter Cavanagh.

The Robins haven't had the best of seasons with just two wins and were thumped 4-0 midweek against Chesterfield to occupy a relegation spot in the table.

And the last time the two sides met Stanley hammered the Robins 5-0 but boss Coleman is wary of a backlash from the under-pressure side.

"We are full of confidence and they will have had their confidence dented after the midweek loss but we know they could be dangerous and we have got to be on our game," he said.

"We have now created rods for our own backs with our performance at Bradford as every player was massive.

"The players have shown what they can do and what they have got in their locker and they have got to keep producing it.

"It should be a really good atmosphere and hopefully there will be a few more on."

Now the aim is for back to back league games - last achieved 16 games ago against Torquay and Hereford.

"We have had several false dawns before so we have got to make sure we have a good performance and build on it," added Coleman.

Play-maker Rommy Boco is expected to return after suffering a virus which kept him out of Saturday's 2-1 loss to Bury and the Bradford win.

Defender Phil Edwards is also out for around a month with a back injury but midfielder Jay Harris returns after a three game suspension.