ACCRINGTON Stanley will be desperate to shake off their play-off heartbreak when they start the 2011/12 season at Northampton Town on August 6, says midfielder Ian Craney.

Craney admits he is still reeling from last month’s play-off semi final exit to Stevenage, but he believes that could yet prove to be a motivating factor as the Reds bid to go one better and secure promotion from League Two next time around.

After travelling to Sixfields on the opening day, Stanley host Southend and Bradford in back-to-back home league games.

They make the trip to Morecambe on Boxing Day before a rather lengthy journey to Hereford on New Year’s Eve, with Crawley visiting the Crown Ground on the final day of the season on May 5.

“To be honest I haven’t really got over the play-offs yet and I probably won’t until we start up again next season and play a few games,” said Craney, whose current contract runs until next summer. “We will just want to do well at the start of next season and get it out of our system.

“I think it will fire us up to get it out of our system. We can’t mope and be down about it.”

Stanley are yet to finalise a host of new deals but 10 of those out of contract will stay unless other clubs are prepared to pay a fee because they are under the age of 24, although striker Terry Gornell was yesterday linked with a move to SPL side Hibernian.