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Coley: It was a terrific advert for League One

Stanley's manager discusses the 3-3 draw with Bristol Rovers

8 September 2019

Interviews

Coley: It was a terrific advert for League One

Stanley's manager discusses the 3-3 draw with Bristol Rovers

8 September 2019

Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman insisted that yesterday's 3-3 draw with Bristol Rovers was a terrific advert for Sky Bet League One, and that he has no complaints with captain Seamus Conneely's sending off.

Stanley's goals came courtesy of Jordan Clark, Sam Finley and Dion Charles and Coleman was pleased with the way his side played, and that the club will progress up the table if they continue to put in performances like that.

"I was really proud with the way our boys played, we could've defended better but it was a terrific advert for League One football.

"There was no malice, no bad challenges, no nastiness, just wholehearted players wanting to win the game.

"If we can play like that for the best part of the season then we'll be okay.

"We didn't stop when we got the equaliser, we tried to go and get the winner and I think we had a great spell for 20 minutes before we scored the goal.

"The more disappointing thing was when the referee got injured, it kind of killed the game for five minutes and it stopped our momentum, it let them regroup and put more balls into our box but thankfully we stood firm."

Rovers' third goal was an impressive overhead kick scored by Jonson Clarke-Harris and Coleman gave all the credit to the striker and admitted that he doesn't know how he's managed to execute a goal like that.

"It was a terrific goal by their lad to make it 3-2 and we're disappointed conceding it, but when you see an overhead kick like that, the ball was about eight foot up in the air, I don't know how he's got his leg up there.

"It was a fantastic finish, he deserves a lot of credit, but we kept on going and I don't think anybody could begrudge us a point."

Stanley captain Conneely was shown a second yellow card just four minutes after the break and Coleman explained that you've got to be careful when you're on a booking, and that he has no complaints with the sending off.

"If you're on a yellow card and you pull somebody's shirt, it doesn't matter where you are on the pitch, you run the risk of getting another yellow card.

"The disappointing thing is that their lad pulled our lad's shirt back in the first half and he doesn't get booked, that's when you feel as though it's double standards, it's a small mistake that the referee has made that in normal circumstances would usually go unnoticed.

"I've got no complaints with the sending off, but the one thing I am pleased with is the way we responded."

Stanley's deadline day signing Jerome Opoku came on as a second half substitute during the 3-3 draw, and Coleman was happy with the way the Fulham loanee grew into the game.

"We've got a great set of lads and we've brought three lads in, and Jerome's come on and made his debut in difficult circumstances, he looked a bit shaky for the first minute and the first challenge he made, but then he grew into the game and he was a colossus then.

"We had to make some big decisions, Callum (Johnson) was getting forward down the right and doing really well, but we thought that if we got a bit more solidity at the back then we could counter on them and we did and we continued to do that.

"The tempting thing would be to take a striker off and settle for what you've got, it's 2-2 and I believed that we could hurt them with our forwards and Dion was causing them problems and we were brave and kept two up front and I think it paid off for us."

Next up for Stanley is a home fixture with Sunderland and Coleman hopes his side's performances will have the fans enjoying what they are seeing as he feels as though he would do as a fan.

"Every game we play in this league is a big game for us but what can I say for our lads is that they will never be questioned for their effort.

"We showed today that we've got some unbelievably talented players and are capable of playing some football that people will come to watch.

"I'd like to watch that if I was a fan."


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