Reds need home rule

ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman says his side have got to establish home rule if they are to continue their Conference play-off charge.

The Reds are back in the promotion hunt following their 2-1 victory over play-off contenders Halifax Town on Monday in front of the Sky television cameras.

And they now need to start getting it right at home, beginning with the visit of struggling Farnborough on Saturday.

Stanley have won six of their 12 league clashes at the Interlink this season - and have lost their last two matches there against Carlisle and Dagenham.

Now Coleman has spelled it out to his players that they must make the Interlink a fortress for the rest of the season, if they are to seal a top five place.

"We have to win our home games if we are to be serious play-off contenders," said the manager.

"We let ourselves down against Dagenham, even though we played magnificently in the first half.

"Now we have got to get into the mantality that whatever we have got to do to win games, then we must do it.

"I think once or twice this season we have been more concerned with our performances than the result.

"But you don't necessarily win games with good performances, as we have found to our cost, so now the results are all-important."

He continued: "This league is a much of a muchness - a lot of teams are beating each other and we need to get on a bit of a run to keep us in the chasing pack.

"We have got to get our heads down and start being a little more serious about what the points mean to us."

The way Stanley have played this season it would be typical to celebrate a hard-fought win against Halifax and then lose to relegation-haunted Farnborough.

Inconsistency has been their major problem and Coleman knows he has to guard against this on Saturday. And he admits that Stanley want revenge after Farnborough beat the Reds 2-1 earlier this season.

"We owe them one," said the Reds chief. "For 20 minutes at their place we did really well and I thought we can't carry on like this and not score. But we did, they scored, and that has been symptomatic of our season so far.

"Then we got one back from the penalty spot, they had a man sent off but then they got a dubious penalty decision.

"At 2-1 they defended really well and I am sure they will be pleased with that and think they can do it again.

"Teams have been coming to the Interlink and defending deep and trying to catch us on the break.

"We can have no complaints about what other teams are doing but we have got to make sure that, as the home team, we try and force the game.

"I am convinced we are as good as any team in the Conference but the league table doesn't lie.

"We have shot ourselves in the foot in the past and it is time we started being a bit more tuned in as to how to win games."

Coleman is without left back Chris Butler on Saturday as he is still struggling with his knee. He missed the Town victory. "Chris had an operation on his knee last year and he keeps jarring it. We will have to have a look at it," said the boss.

And he admits he is stepping up his hunt for new players to see the Reds through the next four months.

"I think our squad is good enough for the play-offs and with a couple of new additions, I think we will go on and do it," said Coleman.

"I am looking for a striker. Even if Lutel (James) comes back after his three month loan spell, he has a broken foot and he won't be fit immediately.

"And I am looking to strengthen in other areas as well. We are continually looking although it is unlikely anything will happen this week."