John Coleman says he has learnt a lot from last week’s 3-0 defeat at league leaders Hull City and hopes Stanley can turn on a show at the Wham Stadium tomorrow night (ko 5.30pm)
Stanley play the Tigers in quick succession after playing them last week and the Reds were without a game at the weekend.
Hull beat Portsmouth 4-0 in between and are the top scorers in League One with 40 goals this season with ex-Red Mallik Wilks on nine goals and Josh Magennis on eight goals – both scored against Stanley.
“The lads know we can improve,” said Coleman. “We watched the video back of the Hull game and we were nowhere near as bad as I thought we were in the first half.
“We probably had the lion’s share of possession in the first half, we just didn’t do anything with it and they did. They made three or four good chances and took one.
“It was a disappointing goal for us to concede at the time that we did and the game goes away from you with a couple of contentious decision, an off-side goal and a penalty which if it’s given, it’s given but it’s never a sending off and we don’t get them same penalties to get a chance to make it 2-1 minutes before.
“You can probably write the second half off but we have a lot of learning to do from the first half which is where I think the game was lost.
“You have little runs where things go in your favour and plenty of things have gone in Hull’s favour in the last week – you just have to look at the two own goals Portsmouth scored.
“Portsmouth got a goal disallowed that could easily have been given on Saturday that would have put them 1-0 ahead. These little things you have to ride it out.
“When you have got a good side like Hull have and are capable of playing several different ways, playing it well and mixing it up, and they have good players and are adding good players, you have got a chance. I have said from day one I expect Hull to be one of top sides in the league and it’s proven to be true.”
After two successive league defeats, Coleman is desperate to get back on track but the Reds will be without defender Cameron Burgess who picked up two yellow cards against Hull.
“In the 21 years of me being here, we are always capable of winning any game we play, we believe we can win tomorrow and will be going out to win the game and will set out a game plan to do that.
“You need a bit of luck along the way. I have said it when we are winning or losing, you can’t underestimate the element of luck in football.
“The last couple of games haven’t gone our way and certainly some of the decisions we have had have been head scratching - and it’s not just me but qualified referees and head of the Referees’ Association saying it.
“We just have to get back to playing the way we can. The alarming thing from Tuesday’s game was we didn’t create chances when we had a lot of the possession and we have got to address that.
“We have got to make it uncomfortable for Hull and that doesn’t mean going around kicking people it means denying them space on the ball, handling the ball better ourselves, being more creative and making things happen and not waiting for things to happen. We have to be proactive rather than reactive.”
Coleman admitted he is being thwarted in the transfer market at the moment as he looks to add to his squad before the January window closes.
“I have been trying to get players in. Four out the last five windows have been really difficult but we have got to keep soldiering on.
“It’s an enigma to me but the higher up we go, the harder it is to get players to come. It was easier to get players when we bottom of League Two and I don’t know why but we will keep trying.”
The full pre-match interview video with John Coleman is available to watch on the club's official YouTube channel, CLICK HERE to find out more!