JOHN Coleman is experiencing a dry January in more ways than one.

There is only one win the Accrington Stanley boss would have been able to toast had he not been tee-total since the turn of the year.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The Reds go into tomorrow’s home game with Northampton Town on the back of three straight defeats, with only one goal scored since kicking off 2015 with a 2-1 triumph at Exeter.

But Coleman says he saw enough during Tuesday’s narrow, late loss to rivals Bury to believe there will soon be cause for celebration.

“The performances against Tranmere and Wimbledon weren’t acceptable for different reasons but even the most narrow-minded person who gets blinded by results could not think we didn’t play well on Tuesday night,” he said.

“As a manager you have to be informed by what you see performance-wise and not get too influenced by results. We all want results, and that’s going to be the be all and end all on Saturday.

“But in order to give yourself the best chance to achieve results you have to inform yourself on what you see performance-wise and we did play well on Tuesday, particularly in the second half.

“We had a lot of control in the first half but in the second half we stepped up a gear and put them on the back foot. But for a little bit better finishing and a couple of good saves by their keeper, a little bit of luck, we could and should have won it.

“To concede the goal we did is disappointing and something we have to continue to work on.

“Probably the most disappointing out of the three (defeats) was the Bury one because that was probably our better performance.

“But as a manager you can’t get too down and you can’t let your players get too down.

“The green shoots of recovery are there and hopefully we can give them the love and care to make them grow bigger.”

Having gone without a game at the Store First Stadium since December 20 because of two postponements, Tuesday’s re-arranged game with the Shakers means Stanley will play their second home game in four days at home to Northampton tomorrow.

Snowfall on Wednesday night and during the course of yesterday left a covering on the pitch, though, while more is forecast today.

Coleman admits the last thing they need is another postponement.

“You can’t govern the elements, you can protect your pitch as best you can but sometimes that goes beyond what you try to do.

“We’re preparing like the game’s going to be on and I really hope it is,” said the Stanley chief, who has fond memories of their last meeting with Northampton.

The Reds were 5-4 winners in the first game of Coleman’s second spell in charge.

“I’ve always been very wary of when you beat teams away, when you play them at home you tend to face a different animal. Exeter probably found that with us,” he said.

“That’s something we need to guard against, but we have to concentrate on ourselves first and foremost.”