John Doolan ‘over the moon’ as Accrington end wait for win

Posted Sunday, October 06, 2024 by PA

John Doolan said he was happy for everyone connected with Accrington after two Dara Costelloe goals secured the Reds’ first win of the season, 2-1 over Lancashire rivals Morecambe.

Both sides remain in the bottom two but Doolan wanted his players to celebrate a much-needed victory and bragging rights in the derby.

Accrington took the lead on 36 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Morecambe captain Yann Songo’o on Shaun Whalley and Burnley loanee Costelloe sent keeper Stuart Moore the wrong way.

Stanley doubled their lead in added time in the first half when Costelloe fired low into the bottom corner.

Morecambe boss Derek Adams made changes during the second half and they got a goal back on 86 minutes when Ben Tollitt curled a 20-yard free-kick into the top corner but it proved just a consolation.

Doolan said: “I am over the moon, I am just so happy for everyone at this club.

“We deserved three points from other games which we haven’t got so to get over the line today is superb.

“I wanted fight from the players all week, that was what we demanded.

“The players showed the fight in the individual battles, the team battles and in the end we won the war.

“I am so pleased for the lads in the dressing room. You have to enjoy it and I hope they do, it’s long overdue.

“When you go in the dressing room, everyone is hugging each other and high-fiving and they are best places when you win a game of football. Wins are everything.”

Adams’ side had drawn their last four games but slipped to the bottom of the table with the defeat and are still searching for their first league win of the campaign.

He said: “We put in our worst performance of the season in the first half. We were terrible.

“We didn’t get man to man with their players and we allowed them to get a penalty kick and a goal just before half-time. In the first half it was exceptionally poor and that was a huge disappointment.

“Coming into a game like this and putting on your worst performance, it wasn’t good.

“The second half, we got a bit better, we got a goal back, but we didn’t play to the levels we have done this season. That’s hugely disappointing.

“I have said that to the players and they are in Sunday morning as we can’t accept the standard of today’s performance. We had a large following of supporters, they have paid good money and we need to be better than we were.”