ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman is banking on his side to kick-start their season at Lancaster City tonight.

Stanley play their UniBond Premier League rivals in the Marsden Lancashire Challenge Trophy and Coleman hopes a win can end his side's current bad patch.

Stanley haven't won in the League since November 18. They lost 2-1 at Bishop Auckland on Saturday, and have slipped down to seventh, although they did hammer Winsford 6-0 in the League Cup last week.

Coleman said: "We need to make an impact in one of these cups. We are going through a bit of a blip at the moment but it is not a blip in performances, it is a blip in results.

"We are dominating games for long periods but not going on to win them.

"It is very frustrating and it feels like I am saying the same thing every week.

"It happened again on Saturday against Bishop Auckland, we did more than enough to win the game but couldn't convert the pressure.

"I think the fans know that we haven't been playing that badly and that is why they are still behind us."

Coleman denied that a break from the league programme would take the pressure off his players.

"If anything, it puts more pressure on because if we are not doing well in the league we have to do well in the cups.

"Our away performances have let us down and it seems we can't even get a home tie in the cups.

"Hopefully that means that we'll get some home ties in the latter stages."

Stanley have already met Lancaster twice in the league this season, losing 2-1 at home and drawing 1-1 away.

Also in the Marsden Challenge Trophy tonight, Rossendale travel to Conference side Leigh RMI hoping to put some bad luck behind them.

The lost 3-2 to Brigg Town in the FA Vase in somewhat controversial circumstances last week and face being eliminated from the Worthington Challenge Trophy after fielding an ineligible player despite a 2-0 extra-time win over Padiham on Saturday.

"I speak to Leigh's assistant manager Dave Miller quite regularly and I know what they have got," said Dale chief Jim McCluskie

"I feel I have got some players who can play at Conference level and it will be a real yardstick for us."

NWCL Division One promotion chasers Clitheroe travel to Fleetwood Freeport in the Trophy -- a side who have inflicted the biggest defeat on Dave Burgess's side this season with a 4-0 scoreline.

And finally NWCL Division One side Ramsbottom travel to Division Two leaders Squires Gate.