ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman has paid tribute to the army of players and staff who worked hard, but ultimately in vain, to get Saturday's home game with Portsmouth on.

First team players, management, youth team and club staff teamed up with new owner Andy Holt to get their hands dirty in an effort to keep the pitch playable.

After work had been done on the pitch's drainage system during the week, Coleman rallied the troops to get new covers on.

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Ultimately, a hard frost defeated them, with referee Trevor Kettle making the decision not to go ahead at 10am, but the Reds boss said: "We've always said we are quite unique in the Football League in what we've got here, the spirit that we've got here.

"It's possibly because I don't think we've ever really lost our non-league roots. In some ways that can hold you back because you don't really get on board with the infrastructure of the club because you tend to make do a lot of the time.

"But in other things it can really be a big help for you. Everyone remains grounded and prepared to do any job.

"I don't think it's out of the question to ask people to muck in with everyone else. That's what we did on Friday. Lots of first team players and staff were moving covers, and why not?

"You don't ask anyone to do anything that you wouldn't do yourself.

"I think this club's always been like that, or certainly since I've been here.

"I think if you harness that spirit and use it in the right way, and add to things and improve things as you go on, you can keep something special here that has always been here."

But, back to football matters, Coleman added: "Now you're looking at how you play. We've got a good team spirit and the dressing room is very good. The players do work hard for each other.

"You can count on one hand the number of times we've been disappointed with the actual performances this season, and I there won't be many managers in the league who can say that.

"We have to keep that going."