ACCRINGTON Stanley gave away too many Christmas presents to Dagenham - now they have to turn into Scrooge against Halifax Town on Boxing Day.

That's the message from the Reds management team as they strive to boost their Conference play-off bid over the festive period after Stanley slipped to sixth place.

Manager John Coleman has threatened to make changes following Saturday's 3-0 loss to the Daggers where the strikers struggled in front of goal and then the defence were found wanting in the second half.

But the current crop of players have a chance to save their places if they can see off fourth place Halifax and Gravesend in the next two games - and bring the New Year in with more joy.

"Every game is massive as we just need to string a run of wins together," said assistant manager Jimmy Bell.

"We know we are one of the better teams in the league but we are just so inconsistent. We are an attacking team but our finishing is letting us down.

"And if we do not score then we are vulnerable and we concede - it is a recipe for disaster.

"We go into any game against the likes of Barnet, Carlisle and Hereford full of confidence but it is a toss of the coin with us - we could win 4-0 or lose 4-0 and the inconsistency is killing us."

He said the management are looking to make changes if things don't turn quickly. They are currently chasing a defender.

"John (Coleman) is a great believer that things will change if you work hard. I am a little more pessimistic and think we may have to change things," continued his assistant. "But if we bring in another striker, we lose what Paul Mullin and Lee McEvilly gives us. The same goes for the defence.

"But some of our players, at the moment, are as inconsistent as the results and we don't know what they are going to give us."

He continued: "The frustrating thing is our general play is very good, we have played some great football, but we just can't seem to put two results together. Last season we were doing well as there was all the euphoria of going up and we were getting results and the rub of the green.

"This time teams like Dagenham and Exeter are coming to Accrington and are playing negatively and trying to hit us on the break - and it is working. We are falling for the sucker punch time and time again and it has to change.

"John and I have enquired about a few players but I do think we have one of the best squads in the Conference here. It is just so confusing."

He is praying it is the triumphant Accrington side which turns up on Sunday against their local rivals and fellow promotion chasers.

"Halifax are one of the surprise packages this season - they have hit form and been relatively consistent," said Bell. "But we don't fear anyone. I wouldn't be surprised if we score a number of goals against them - but then again I wouldn't be surprised if they do that to us the way things are going at the moment.

"But it should be a full-house, it should be a really fantastic atmosphere and a win would cap it off.

"We are so close to doing something here, achieving something really great, but we have got to put this inconsistency behind us."

And he knows Stanley owe out-of-sorts Gravesend one on Tuesday after they beat Accrington earlier in the season. Since then, 'Fleet haven't won in 11 Conference outings.

"Gravesend have gone on a worse run than us and I thought, when they came to us, they were one of the best teams I have seen," Bell added.

Paul Mullin (foot), Lee McEvilly (calf) and Chris Butler (ankle) are all expected to have shaken off slight injuries for Sunday.

Meanwhile, the management team still haven't had a good look at Polish frontman Pawel Wozniak who is training with the club.

And they haven't ruled out sending another player out of loan. Lutel James is currently the only player on loan but he is sidelined with a broken foot.