FA CUP hero Paul Howarth says the next two weeks are crucial to Accrington Stanley's season.

After being dumped out of the FA Trophy at Burton on Saturday, the Reds have their third round replay at Colchester to look forward to, as well as their continued push for the Nationwide Conference play-offs.

But Howarth, who scored the last of five penalties to see off Bournemouth in the FA Cup second round, warned: "In two weeks our season could be effectively finished!

"I don't want to be negative but that's the reality of it.

"We've got a tough game at Colchester tonight, and when that's over we're back to the league and go to Shrewsbury on Saturday.

"We want to be in the play-offs so that's another game we have to be getting something from, especially after losing at Morecambe."

But, for the time being at least, Howarth is just glad Stanley are still involved in the FA Cup and sees no reason why they can't be looking forward to a fourth round showdown with Coventry City - the prize for the winners of tonight's replay at Layer Road.

"We have nothing to fear at Colchester," the fullback said.

"Although it's going to be a difficult game we think we are capable of getting a result there, and that's the way that we've got to out and approach games.

"We were disappointed not to beat them at home because we created enough chances.

"But we're an attacking side and I'm sure we'll go for it again."

But, should it follow the same path as the Bournemouth replay and go to extra time and penalties, the 22-year-old is more than willing to put his name in the hat for spot kicks.

"I'd have to volunteer really wouldn't I," said Howarth, who continued his rich vein of scoring form with a goal in Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Burton to take his tally to three.

"That goal doesn't mean anything when you get beat like that," he continued.

But Howarth is confident the players will pick themselves up from their disappointment at Eton Park in time for tonight's important cup clash.

"We were poor on Saturday," he said.

"You look at the four goals they scored and none of them were anything special.

"When we clawed our way back to 2-2 in a game we didn't deserve anything from it was even more devastating to lose because, after doing that, you would have expected us to hold on for the draw.

"The FA Cup's great but we aren't going to win that. We could have won the FA Trophy.

"But we've had a lot of difficult games over the last month.

"I don't think it's affected us physically, but maybe psychologically.

"Then again Lutel James had a chance in the first five minutes and if that goes in then it's a completely different story.

"But we've got to put Saturday to the back of our mind. We can't change the result and while we were unhappy after the game, it's up to us to sort it out.

"We take the credit when we're doing well so we have to take a bit of criticism when we've not played well."