STANLEY face the threat of Blyth's prolific scorer Glen Robson without two of their regular defenders.

Both full-backs, skipper Peter Cavanagh and left back Barrie Hart, will sit out one-match suspensions for the UniBond Premier clash in the North East - a huge blow to Stanley boss John Coleman.

"Glen is a lively forward who is scoring goals for fun. It is not going to be easy without them and we will have to reshuffle a bit. But we have lads that are capable of coming in and Peter and Barrie's loss could be someone else's gain.

"Steve Hollis is not far off and Paul Howarth is champing at the bit. Robbie Williams is on the comeback trail and Gareth Strange, who has been missing with flu, is back in the squad."

Robson, who had a spell at Third Division Rochdale, has notched 19 goals to take Blyth up to ninth in the League.

But the good news for Stanley is that tall defender Jonathan Smith is back from his one-game ban and Steve Halford, the recent addition from Chester, is proving a hit at the back.

"Steve has done well and I was pleased he scored the goal against Hucknall on Saturday, I just wish it had been the winner."

Last Saturday's show was disappointing as the Reds crashed to the then bottom club 2-1.

While Coleman was disappointed, it is a case of putting that game to the back of their minds.

"We have got to dust ourselves down but I didn't think we deserved to win, if anything it should have been a draw,

"Too many of our players had an off day and they stuck to their game plan while we tried to play passing football on a pitch that wasn't really suited to it.

"We pressed for the last ten minutes but perhaps we should have been putting the pressure on earlier.

"Dave Robinson had good vision to spot the keeper off his life and try and chip him but it hit the post. On another day it might have gone in and we would have gone on to win three of four.

"But we have had luck in recent games and I think our luck ran out last Saturday."

What was also frustrating was the fact Barrow and Lancaster also slipped up.

"We lost a good chance to make some ground and that was disappointing as well.

"But we have got to bounce back and we haven't been doing too badly away from home so hopefully we will give a good account of ourselves."

While Coleman is downbeat following the loss, overall it has been a good season.

The Reds are in two cup semi-finals and have an away trip to fellow Premier side Burscough in the Lancashire Marsden Cup and a home tie against First Division Trafford in the UniBond League Cup.

"Trafford have been a bogey team to me in the past as a player and manager but I was pleased with a home draw," continued Coleman.

"For Burscough, the draw doesn't really matter. We have to beat them to reach the final and it is as simple as that. If we have to go there and beat them so be it.

"While I am pleased to be in two semi-finals, my one regret is that we haven't got more points on the board.

"When I look back at the Burton game before Christmas, I think we should have drawn, and then the Burscough game which we should have won and in the Burton game at the Crown Ground, we should have won.

"There are a couple more like that and with these we would have had at least eight more points on the board. That would have made a huge difference.

"That is why every game is important no matter who it is. But there is no point looking back, we can only influence what happens from now on and the focus is the next game at Blyth."