JOHN COLEMAN predicted a 7-0 thumping of someone after last week's loss to Carlisle.
He was almost right - he would have settled for one goal out before the clash with bottom club Leigh as Accrington Stanley did, at last, take their chances.
The scoreline suggests a thumping of beleaguered Leigh but, in truth, the Reds did what they haven't been doing in recent weeks - and became prolific in front of goal while Leigh were found wanting.
Three goals in a three minute spell did it on the stroke of half-time as Paul Mullin, Rory Prendergast and Paul Howarth suddenly turned a 1-0 shaky lead into 'a relax and enjoy it' 4-0 scoreline which Stanley certainly needed going into a tough period over Christmas.
Coleman admitted it wasn't the Reds best show this season despite them drumming up their best scoreline in the Conference - but he could certainly enjoy a Saturday night.
"I am a clairvoyant as I said someone was going to be on the end of some goals," said the boss. "But to be honest, I do not think we played overly well. I think we played better last week agaiinst Forest Green when we lost 1-0. Leigh were unfortunate on 43 minutes where they had a great chance and didn't take it and five minutes later they were 4-0 down and it was game over.
"That's how funny football is. We've had some luck - for the second it was a big boot over, their keeper could maybe have come for it but Rory did well and then there was a deflection for the fourth goal.
"There wasn't four goals in the game at half-time although I think we shaded it. We were happy at 1-0 never mind four - that's beyond your wildest dreams. We got the rub of the green, kept working hard and got our rewards."
In the early period, Stanley had Ian Craney to thank for calming the nerves in what was a big test for the Reds. The midfielder hadn't scored since September in the league although he has kept trying from distance.
One had to come off eventually and, on 25 minutes, the midfielder scored the goal of the game with an 18-yard effort which curled into the top of the net. "It was a great goal," enthused the boss.
Right back Howarth was keeping a tight rein on former Red Gary Williams and did well to stop him bursting through on 43 minutes as Leigh started to get more into the game. But then, in three minutes, they collapsed.
Goal number two came through Paul Mullin who took his tally to 10 goals for the season. A Paul Crichton goalkick found it's way to frontman Mullin who chipped the outcoming Ian Martin.
One minute later and Rory Prendergast was celebrating number three. Another long ball forward found the winger and this time his low left foot shot slid past the hapless keeper.
And, with just another 60 seconds gone, the Leigh keeper was picking number four out of the back of net. Howarth's 20-yard free kick, after a foul on Craney, took a deflection off the wall and made it a staggering 4-0 to the Reds.
In fairness to Leigh, they never stopped battling and did better in the second half when they kept trying their luck from long range but couldn't get past their former keeper Paul Crichton.
But, to add to their problems, Prendergast made it five after good build-up play from Steve Jagielka and Mullin. The winger made time and space for himself just inside the area and slotted home his third in two games on 65 minutes. An Andy Procter header then hit the back of the stanchion as he looked to get in on the act before the Reds got their sixth on 75 minutes.
A short corner between sub Steve Flitcroft and Prendergast ended with the keeper flapping at the ball and Craney tapped it over from one yard out.
"I think even his mum could have scored that one," joked Coleman. "But we got that little bit of luck - on another days that could have been ruled out for off-side."
Leigh did threaten to mar the Reds day slightly by denying them a clean sheet but Gareth Stoker's effort was cleared off the line in the dying minutes.
"You have to be pleased with that," continued Coleman. "We didn't coast in the second half, which we could have done, but tried to put it all in and we showed a good appetite for the game - especially Andy Procter and Steve Jagielka.
"Hopefully that result will give us a boost and keep us in and around the play-off places and a run of three or four wins could put us right back in there."
And the victory was nice for Stanley to get revenge after Leigh knocked them out of the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage - something which still rankles with the boss.
"If we could have just taken some of our chances then like we did today, we would have still been in the FA Cup."
But that happened when the Reds were going through a poor spell and Coleman hopes they have well and truly come out of that now.
"We have worked hard in training to get the enthusiasm back and get people believing in themselves again. We are a good side - we haven't got what we deserved in the last six or seven games.
"We can score goals and I think there isn't another team in this league who makes as many chances as we do - I am convinced about that. Now it is about taking our chances at more important times. Not when we are winning 3-0 but when it is 0-0 and in tight games. If we can do that, we won't go far wrong."
