ANOTHER defeat at Netherfield in midweek makes ACCRINGTON STANLEY'S home game against fellow strugglers Whitley Bay tomorrow even more important.
Both teams are in the bottom half of the Unibond First Division, with Bay having only just climbed off the foot of the table thanks to their first win of the season.
That suggests Stanley can turn the corner and pick up a morale-boosting win.
But they are struggling to score the goals that would enable John Coleman's side to start a serious surge up the table.
"It's getting to the stage where we have given some silly points away and every game is now becoming a must-win game," said the Reds boss.
"With the exception of last Saturday, our performances have been good.
"We could have been top of the table the way we have been playing. But we are not scoring the goals we should from the chances we are creating."
Striker Billy O'Callaghan, still absent through illness, could probably solve Coleman's scoring dilemma but he is not likely to be available yet.
So Stanley are not expected to make much change from midweek, when they stumbled at Netherfield despite dominating the game. Conceding a late equaliser at Maine Road in midweek was a bitter disappointment for GREAT HARWOOD TOWN and they have another tough task away to Mossley tomorrow.
Denis Underwood's side have established themselves in mid-table but, if they are to entertain hopes of climbing any higher, will have to take something from the likes of Mossley.
On their day, Harwood are capable of getting a good result but their opponents are tipped to have a good season and only suffered their first defeat of the season last Saturday against Bootle.
RAMSBOTTOM travel to Washington HI for a FA Vase 2nd qualifying round game without striker Steve Orrell, who is attending a wedding.
Assistant boss Mike Kelly continues in goal after Mark Bedford asked for his release after being dropped recently.
NELSON entertain Warrington hoping to maintain their 100 per cent home record.
Chris Halstead (calf), Andy Ellis (knee), Rob Molloy (knee) and Glen Little (unavailable) are all out and manager John Bailey and Mark Robinson both face late checks on hamstring injuries.
CLITHEROE will be looking to bounce back from their midweek defeat at home to Fleetwood.
They face Kidsgrove at Shawbridge and Steve Parry is urging his men to approach the game with confidence.
"The lads were pretty disappointed on Tuesday night because of the circumstances of the match. "But our confidence has got to come from the way we played against Fleetwood, even though we lost.
"There are one or two things we need to learn and we talked about them at training last night.
"But there's nothing wrong with the way we are playing at the moment."
Andy Cowking and Gary Rishton are both doubtful with groin strains.
CHORLEY boss Ken Wright will make a late check on striker Keith Evans before their trip to Farsley Celtic.
Evans aggravated an ankle injury in Tuesday night's frustrating 1-1 draw with Flixton.
"If it had been a boxing match they would have stopped it at half time," said Wright.
"But we took too many liberties with them in the second half and didn't finish them off.
"But any team who puts a few wins together will soon be right up among them.
"And we've only lost one in nine so that's not exactly bad form."
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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