ACCRINGTON Stanley fans may still be ruing last weekend’s costly draw with Stevenage which cost them a chance of automatic promotion from League Two – but the Reds can head into the play-offs with optimism.

In the past 20 seasons the side finishing fourth in the division, as Stanley have this season, has secured a Wembley triumph in the play-off final on 10 occasions.

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John Coleman’s side travel to AFC Wimbledon for the first leg of the play-off semi-final on Saturday (7.30pm) before hosting the return at the Wham Stadium next Wednesday night (7.45pm).

And, if the history books are anything to go by, the Reds have a great chance of bouncing back from their automatic promotion heartache and sealing a spot in League One next term.

Stanley, whose total of 85 points would have seen them finish in the top three in each of the last six seasons and would have been enough to win the title in three of those years, can take heart from neighbours Fleetwood who went up in 2014 after finishing fourth, nine years after Stockport managed it 2005.

And from 1996-2005 the side finishing fourth won promotion in eight of those 10 years.

Stanley’s play-off opponents AFC Wimbledon finished in seventh spot this season, 10 points adrift of Stanley, with that position earning promotion in four of the last 20 seasons, including in 2012 and 2013.

Fifth spot also has a 20 per cent chance of success going by the past 20 years giving Plymouth hope ahead of their last-four clash with Portsmouth.

The odds are against Pompey, managed by former Stanley pair Paul Cook and Leam Richardson, with sixth spot translating into play-off final joy just twice in the last two decades.

The last time it occurred was in Stanley’s last play-off campaign in 2011 when Stevenage, who had beaten the Reds in the last four, won the final against Torquay. While the stats might favour Stanley, the bookmakers make Portsmouth the 15/8 favourites to win the play-offs.

Stanley are second favourites at 11/4, with Plymouth and Wimbledon both 10/3.

Tickets for the semi-final went on general sale yesterday with supporters queuing outside the Wham Stadium.

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