ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman is hoping to erase almost five years of FA Cup hurt as they face Tranmere Rovers at the Fraser Eagle Stadium tomorrow.

The last time Stanley won a cup game was in December 2003, when they overcame Bournemouth in a penalty shoot-out in the famous cup run that took them all the way to the third round proper.

Since then, it’s been a tale of woe with exits against Leigh RMI, Worcester City, Mansfield and last year’s defeat against Huddersfield – eventually losing 3-2 despite leading 2-0 at the break – seeing Stanley fall at the first hurdle.

But Coleman admits he still has very fond memories of the world’s oldest and most prestigious cup competition after the events of the 2003/04 – a season that put Stanley back in the big time.

He said: “By my own admission, I think we’ve been poor in the FA Cup. It’s a bitter-sweet thing for me because, without the FA Cup, we wouldn’t be in the Football League.

“The run we had when we got to the third round and we were on TV against Huddersfield and Bournemouth probably put us back on the national map, and also gave us the revenue to go full time and we’ve never looked back from that.

“Financially, the rewards are potentially massive.

“But our focus remains the same – to try and win a football match. That will never change.

“Maybe it’s time we had another little run in the competition that cemented our position in the league, by putting money in the coffers to strengthen both the structure of the club and the playing staff.”

And of his best memories, Coleman added: “You’d have to say Paul Howarth’s penalty to win the shoot-out against Bournemouth.

“Knowing that so many people were watching; my missus was watching from abroad and my brother was watching the game in America and just knowing how much they’d be glued to the set – that was a special moment. Also, Andy Gouck’s goal in the last minute against Huddersfield.

“They’re pleasant but distant memories now and we have to focus on trying to win the game on Saturday.

“On the flip side, I remember losing 2-0 against Leigh RMI in the cup and then beating them 6-0 away from home in the league a couple of weeks later and I was left scratching my head as to how we’d lost the game.

“And last year is still fresh in the mind. We were 2-0 up and then lost.

“Apart from that one season when we had the run, I wouldn’t say we’ve had too many successes.

“It’s been a funny one because, as a player, I didn’t have too many runs in the proper rounds but I always scored lots of goals.”

The two sides have already met this season, in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy that Rovers won 1-0, but both sides fielded weakened teams and will be much-changed tomorrow.

“There’ll be two very different teams that take the field,” Coleman said. “So I learned more about seeing them against Morecambe this week.

“I know what to expect and, hopefully, we’ll be able to formulate a plan to beat them.”