ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman insists the club’s remarkable record against local rivals Morecambe will have no bearing on this afternoon’s League Two derby.

The Reds and the Shrimps have met on 15 occasions in the league and Stanley boast an unbeaten record in that time, winning 11 matches.

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The only bright spot for Morecambe was a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win in 2012 while Stanley have enjoyed a 5-1 victory.

And with Coleman’s men eight points clear of the bottom two heading into the final seven games of the season, another three points at the expense of their local rivals would all but guarantee their safety for another year.

But the Reds chief is not focussing on past glories ahead of this afternoon’s encounter.

“It makes no difference,” said Coleman of the record.

“People will go on about the run that Accrington have had against them. The fact they haven’t won for that long against us might have a bearing with the fans but it makes no difference to the game. Every game happens on its merits.

“We will be doping our upmost to win and that doesn’t account to the previous games.”

Despite the 46 mile gap between the two clubs both sets of fans are quick to look for this fixture on the calendar with both clubs having risen from non-league.

And Coleman knows full well the importance of the game, having been a Morecambe forward during his playing career.

“It is a derby because we grew up together in non league and both made the transition very quickly into the Football League,” he added.

“It has different connotations to myself because of the time I spent there as a player.

“It was a similar scenario to here. The parallels can certainly be drawn between Morecambe and Accrington.

“When I signed for Morecambe we were only getting gates of 200 and by the time I left it was a thousand plus.

“We were a good club waiting to happen. We had the basis of a very good team.”

Stanley are without a win in seven matches following a miserable March which yielded just three points from six games.

But that last victory was against leaders Burton Albion and Coleman believes his side are close to clicking.

“We are not a million miles away from winning games and being a good side,” said Coleman.