John Coleman believes there is even more to come from Accrington

Posted Sunday, September 13, 2020 by PA

John Coleman feels there is more to come from his side despite beating one of the pre-season favourites Peterborough 2-0 on the opening day.

A Dion Charles volley in first-half injury time and a Tariq Uwakwe curling strike five minutes from time gave the Reds an opening day win.

Stanley boss Coleman said: “That was a victory for hard graft with some skill thrown in as they were two superb goals.

“We have got to believe in ourselves as I know we have good players but we are learning all the time, we are only a young squad.

“It is a good result against a very good Peterborough side albeit missing a couple of their players.

“Dion’s was an unbelievable strike but we know he can do that. I will take some credit as I have been telling him to hit it first time in training and I shouted ‘hit’ just as it came to him.

“As there was no crowd, I think he heard me! It was a wonderful goal and then Tariq has made the game safe with another wonderful goal.”

It was an even game with the first real effort on 35 minutes when Stanley’s Matt Butcher crashed a shot against the post.

Peterborough then came close on 42 minutes when summer signing Jonson Clarke-Harris headed inches over the bar.

The Reds took the lead in injury time when Seamus Conneely’s ball into the box was cleared only to Charles on the edge of the area and he volleyed home.

Posh came out fighting after the break and Clarke-Harris rattled the crossbar with a free kick from the edge of the area on 59 minutes.

However Chelsea loan winger Uwakwe got the ball on the edge of the area and curled his effort into the top of the net on 85 minutes for his first league goal.

Posh boss Darren Ferguson was unable to pick Siriki Dembele and Reece Brown as both tested positive for Covid-19 this week but he didn’t want to use that as an excuse.

Ferguson said: “Two players tested positive, Dembele and Brown, and Dembele lives with two others so that’s four who now have to self-isolate.

“But I am not using it as an excuse as we have a squad.

“It was a disappointing result and a disappointing first-half performance. We didn’t create many chances, we didn’t show any urgency and didn’t play at the tempo I want us to play at. It was better in the second half but it was two quality finishes from them, they showed better quality in the final third.

“There are areas we need to be better and we have got to be braver on the ball.

“It’s only the first game of the season but that’s the second season in a row we have lost the opening game and it’s frustrating.”