STANLEY boss John Coleman said his team's win at Crewe on Saturday was their worst performance in recent weeks.

Billy Kee grabbed the winner in somewhat lucky fashion as the Alex keeper pushed his shot over the line to give the Reds their first league victory since mid-October.

But while Coleman as happy to take the three points on offer at Gresty Road, he says his players will have to continue to scrap if they are going to pull themselves clear of the relegation zone.

"It just shows you how football goes," he said afterwards.

"I am relieved, but that's probably the worst we've played in the last seven or eight games and we win.

"They (Crewe) get a couple of chances that if they take it's a different games, and we've taken one.

"That's football. We can play better – we know we can and we've got to strive to play better than that – but it was all about trying to get a point.

"I even resorted to wearing the lucky tie my daughter bought me. When we need it she generally comes up with the goods!"

He continued: "It was a scrappy game but we did put a lot into it and you can't fault our players' commitment and their effort.

"Scotty Brown epitomised us today; he never stopped going, closing down, everything that we tried to practice in training and took it to the next level.

"I think that was one of the reasons why we won, because we did work hard.

"If you've got ability, working hard will always enhance that ability.

Coley also had praise for the man who got the goal.

"We're a little but tentative around the box but fortunately Billy has popped up," he said.

"I thought he was fantastic – led the line well and thankfully he got the goal.

"The keeper's got down to it and knocked it past the lad on the line who was going to clear it.

"But nothing has been going right for us at all. We were due an element of luck."

Stanley host Hartlepool this afternoon (3pm) when the manager insists Stanley won;t be taking their foot off the gas.

"We've ended the year on a high, albeit not the performance but certainly the result.

"We know we can play better than that. We have played better than that and we've lost.

"We've never let our heads drop in any of those games – we've haven't stopped working and we haven;t given in.

"We're going to need that character if we're going to survive this season.

"We're still in a scarp and we've got to keep scrapping away."