We were like rabid dogs – John Coleman applauds Accrington’s fast start

Posted Wednesday, October 25, 2023 by PA

John Coleman hailed Accrington’s two-goal opening salvo at AFC Wimbledon as the best start his team have made in 27 years of management.

Stanley struck twice in the first 10 minutes to blow away the Dons and lay the foundations for a 4-2 win – their fourth consecutive victory in League One.

Captain Joe Pritchard bundled home and Tommy Leigh netted a stunning 25-yarder with the visitors creating further chances to score in a scintillating start.

“I thought we were fantastic from start to finish,” said Coleman.

“I said to the lads at half-time, 27 years I’ve been managing, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the team start like that. We were like rabid dogs. Everything I wanted from them today, they showed.”

Dons manager Johnnie Jackson made a triple substitution at half-time but 24 seconds after the restart, Pritchard made it 3-0.

Jackson got the desired response with Omar Bugiel’s brace seeming to set up a tense finish, but Brad Hills’ bullet header put paid to the comeback.

“In a perverse sort of way, it’s more character-building for us for them to get us to 3-2. If that would have petered out to 3-0, our character wouldn’t have been tested,” said Coleman.

“Our character was tested to the hilt and we’ve passed it with flying colours. They showed everything I wanted from them.”

It has been a turbulent week at Accrington with owner Andy Holt announcing that he is putting the club up for sale after a public spat with Coleman’s assistant Jimmy Bell over the renewal of coaching contracts.

“It’s not extra special (because of club being put up for sale), it’s extra special because you come away from home and win,” said Coleman.

“We’ve got the players believing in themselves and believing in each other.”

The Dons’ fortunes have improved dramatically after they finished 21st in League Two last season.

But home form has eluded Jackson’s side and they have won just one of their first seven games at Plough Lane this term.

“We were second best in the first half and well below our level,” said Jackson.

“We gave ourselves too much to do. Three of the goals were poor ones to concede. We have been solid and haven’t given up much, but everything seemed to go wrong. There was no evidence that was about to happen.

“There are 16 games and a big body of work, this is a rarity. There are things we can do to be a little bit more solid and we’re going to need a plan going away from home on Saturday, to defend better than we did here.”