THE pressure's mounting for Accrington Stanley. But captain Peter Cavanagh wouldn't have it any other way.

The Reds failed to ease the conjestion at the top of the Conference table in a jam-packed Easter programme.

After scoring maximum points from clashes with Morecambe and Canvey Island, they went on to surrender a 2-0 lead at Burton on Good Friday before coming back from 2-0 down at home to York on Easter Monday in a game they looked more than capable of winning.

Nevertheless, Stanley are still employing a coveted play-off place as they lie in fifth. And with their remaining five games all against teams vying for a top-five finish, their destiny is very much in their own hands.

"It's nice to be going into the last few games having something to play for," said full back Cavanagh ahead of tomorrow's trip to Crawley Town.

"Everyone's quite confident at the club that we can certainly stay in the play-off race."

The team knows they can ill afford to drop any more points with Stevenage and Hereford, who meet tomorrow, breathing down their necks, as well as Woking and Exeter, who both have two games in hand on John Coleman's men.

But Cavanagh reckons the tension, combined with competition for places, will keep him and his team-mates focused.

"No-one can afford to feel complacent, and I'm sure that will continue to have a positive effect on the team," said the 23-year-old, who missed Monday's draw after suffering a twisted ankle at Burton.

"David Brown has added a new dimension to the attack because he is a different type of player to Paul Mullin and Lee McEvilly."

And Cavanagh paid tribute to leading goalscorer Mullin for his part in Stanley's healthy league position.

"Paul's hit a good run of form, but it's not just about goals with him," he said.

"Goals can come from anywhere on the pitch in our team. For me, it's the other things that Paul can give us, like holding the ball up and bringing others into play, that are important to the team.

"He can make sure the ball stays up at the opposite end of the field for two or three minutes because he seems to occupy three or four defenders on his own.

"And he's done so much running, in the last few weeks especially.

"I wouldn't like to play against him!"

Cavanagh added that the central defensive partnership of Robbie Williams and Mike Flynn had also been a major asset to the side.

"It's a great pairing - they've got everything between them," he said.

"Flynny's experienced, Robbie's got pace and they're both good in the air."

Cavanagh was hoping to have recovered from his ankle problem in time to be involved tomorrow, while Lee McEvilly will be back in contention after completing a three-match ban for the red card he picked up against Morecambe.

Midfielder Ged Brannan was expecting to have recovered from a calf strain after missing the last two games.

l Stanley will travel to Stalybridge Celtic in the Northern Final of the GLS Cup next Tuesday 5th April (kick-off 7.45pm). The Thameside club beat Morecambe 2-1 at Christie Park on Wednesday night.

Should Stanley win that final, they will face southern final winners Woking to decide the overall Conference Cup winner.

The National Final is scheduled for Wednesday 27th April, at one of the finalists grounds, to be decided by the toss of a coin.

l JON Kennedy was due to travel with the team to Crawley today after his loan spell with Witton was cut short.

Kennedy was recalled after Danny Alcock suffered a head injury.