[carpon]

If a summary of the season so far was to read as a school report normally would, then my take on it would be something along the following lines.......

An encouraging half season for Coley's boys with a creditable return of 31 points from the first 23 games and a respectable 12th position to boot.

Very positive start, with the defense being akin to misers in the first seven games when only 1 goal was conceded.

Late September through to early November (Port Vale away up to Chesterfield away) heralded something of a defensive capitulation, with a worrying 25 goals shipped over the course of 8 games with the side gleaning a poor return of 5 points from 24 on offer. Admittedly a few of the games lost in that spell were against some of the likelier candidates for promotion.

However since the season's heaviest 2-5 defeat at current leaders Chesterfield, Coley's men have only suffered one more reverse, a somewhat disappointing 0-2 loss at strugglers Barnet.

The weather has interupted the progress made, although now the cold spell has ended for the time being, recent displays show that the green shoots of recovery have firmly arisen from the slump experienced through September to November.

Home form has been steady, if not spectacular, with only two teams leaving "fortress Crown" with maximum points.

Away from home pastures, form had been somewhat sketchier up until recent times. After waiting for what has seemed an eternity for the rampaging reds to return home with 3 points from their forays away from the Crown, Coley's charges have now returned with the maximum haul from the last two away trips.

This season's cup challenges have shown a mixed return. The positive displays shown in the League Cup against higher division opposition have been somewhat negated by an early exit from both the F.A. and J.P.T competitions, albeit the latter being a somewhat dissapointing result of what could be considered of our own making.

So to summarise, after a bright start and subsequent slump, Stanley have shown with recent displays, that the second half of the season may herald a push for the upper reaches of League Two. With continued improvement hopefully home attendances will rise, along with any progress up the league.

However, Coley's boys still need to improve on their concentration skills late in games, where the perennial defensive lapses still on occasion rear their ugly head. On occasion this season this problem has resulted in what may be valueable points lost when it comes to the final reckoning come May.

YOUR thoughts please, ladies and gentlemen !!!!