GOALKEEPER Ian Dunbavin said in the car park after Saturday’s game: “We needed that” – and I agree 100 per cent.

The mental side of football is a dark art. As I have said in recent weeks we have not become a poor team, we have just failed to turn performances into points.

The three points against Stevenage, a cracking goal from Sean McConville and a clean sheet will have given the whole team a massive boost.

The game was a battling affair. The visitors had set out a game plan and it was obvious after the first 15 minutes that they would have been happy with a draw.

The Reds had to grind out the win and at times it looked like the match would end in stalemate.

I have yet to see a team in the division this year that are streets ahead of anyone else and I think consistency is the key to finishing in the top seven this season.

It shows just how tight things are in the league this year that three points at Bradford tonight will lift us back to the fringes of the play-off places.

Following tonight’s trip we make the journey to Port Vale on Friday night for the second round of the FA Cup. It will be an expensive week to be a Stanley fan but after two away victories no-one will be complaining.

The final word this week must go in congratulations to the club for the improvements in the sponsors lounge. I was invited by former director Keith Morton as he sponsored the match.

Now, I have been sponsoring matches at the Crown since 1995 and last year saw a dip in quality.

I am happy to report that all is now well again with the standard of catering higher than many bigger clubs.