2005: A year of hope for Stanley

Part one

2005 has seen Accrington Stanley get stronger and stronger and dreams of a Football League return have never been closer to becoming a reality.

They sit proudly at the top of the Conference table, four points clear, and must be one of the hot favourites to finish in the prized  top spot come May.

But the last year has been a battle as they have tried to establish themselves as a top side in the Conference.

Wind the clock back to January 1 2005. They began the year - their second in non league's top flight and first as a full-time club - in 11th place in the league but this was partly because their New Year clash with Halifax was switched for the Sky cameras and all the other teams had played.

Stanley marked it by coming from behind for the first time that season with goals from Steve Jagielka and Ged Brannan which moved them back up the table.

A victory over Farnborough followed and they occupied third spot but there was FA Trophy gloom when a hardy 11 souls made the trip to Hereford in a hastily arranged replay following a goalless draw at the Interlink. Mike Flynn was sent off and they lost 4-0.

And it was followed up by a 1-0 league loss at Tamworth - Stanley have still never won at the Lambs.

In the Conference Cup, Stanley saw off York thanks to a Lee McEvilly extra time goal and then got rid of Morecambe in the Lancashire Cup 
quarter-final. February looked like being a horrendous month for the Reds, with games against most of the top sides in the league - but anyone who wrote them off did so at their peril.

Scarborough were disposed of and then Lee McEvilly scored a double at Exeter to seal three points followed by their emphatic 4-1 victory 
over runaway league leaders Barnet in front of 1830 crowd at the Interlink as Stanley moved into second spot.

The off-the field rumblings were of Bristol Rovers interest in Rory Prendergast but he kept turning in performances for Accrington.

It then all got a bit shaky with a 1-1 draw with Halifax thanks to a late Ian Craney goal but Stanley held onto second place in a tight league but a 2-2 draw with Forest Green followed and then they stuttered at Carlisle with a 2-0 loss - although they "swimming pool" flag was taken in good humour by everyone except the stewards who ordered it to be taken down. And the Reds slipped down to ninth spot.

David Brown and Gary Roberts joined the club and made their debut against Morecambe which Accrington won 2-1 as the see-saw season 
continued and then, on a cold freezing Tuesday night, they celebrated a 2-0 win at Canvey Island thanks to a Paul Mullin double and Stanley 
were back in a play-off spot.

This reignited hopes that this was the year for the Reds but then it was cruelly snatched away.

Stanley were coasting 2-0 up at Burton and it should have been more before they conceded two goals from corners and stayed in fifth place.

Then it was reverse fortunes for the Reds as they were trailing 2-0 against York but goals from Mullin and Roberts got Stanley another point. It was Paul Crichton's last game for the Reds before the ex-Burnley keeper - who the fans never really warmed to - left for pastures new.

Then Coleman admitted it was the "lowest of the low" when he made the trip to fellow-promotion chasers Crawley Town and lost 2-0. It was 
agony for the Reds who saw their promotion dreams slowly ebb away.

And, to make matters worse, Stalybridge Celtic won the Conference Cup Northern final on penalties after Prendergast had been subbed for 
saying something to the management. However Anthony Barry made his debut - and has gone on to be an influential player this season.

Jon Kennedy took over in goal from Danny Alcock following a long-term leg injury and was part of the team who whopped play-off challengers 
Stevenage 4-1 with Mullin scoring his 19th of the season, McEvilly and Jagielka chipping in and Brown scoring his first Stanley goal.

But then there was agony at Woking as, despite drawing 1-1 until the final minute, the Cards scored a controversial last gasp goal which saw Stanley's promotion hopes all but die.

They finally disappeared in the penultimate game of the season with a 3-3 draw with Aldershot and the season petered out with a forgettable 
goalless draw at play-off contenders Hereford.

But Stanley did pick up one trophy - the Lancashire Trophy after they saw off Burscough in a two-legged affair.