ACCRINGTON’S trip to the seaside this afternoon could feel like a home game, according to Reds manager John Coleman.

Up to 700 Stanley fans are expected to make the trip to Bloomfield Road as they try to roar their side another step closer to securing a play-off place.

And with their hosts also in the hunt for the top seven, Coleman says the raucous backing will be a massive boost to his in-form side.

“We’ll probably bring about 600 or 700 and the one thing you can say about Accrington fans is that when they travel in numbers they make a noise,” said the Accrington boss, who has a fully-fit squad for the League Two tussle.

“To all intents and purposes, it could be like a home game for us with the noise that they make.

“So they will be very important for us and I know the players won’t want to let the fans down.

“Momentum can build and confidence builds. That’s certainly the case with our players and I think Friday is going to be a great experience.”

Coleman admits that while it might not feel like Blackpool have home advantage, they do have the edge when it comes to league position as they sit two points above the Reds.

And he says that’s down to the admirable efforts of former Blackburn Rovers boss Gary Bowyer, who has kept his team in the hunt despite the ongoing circus behind the scenes at Bloomfield Road.

He said: “The football has sort of become a sideshow, which is very sad, and I’ve got to take my hat off to Gary for the way he’s stuck at it and turned up some really good results.

“They’ve played some decent football as well. I’ve watched them quite a few times this season and they are a good side.”

He added: “I think we’re in the hunt (for the play-offs) but I think Blackpool will have identified how important the game is as much as we have.

“They will see it as chance to put us to bed, we see it as a chance to kick them out of bed!

“People will say that they’ve lost the last couple of games, but they were unbeaten in nine before that.t and we know how far that kind of run can take you.

“You don’t go that long unbeaten without having qualities, and they have got lots of qualities.

“You’d never say it’s over if we lose, but you’d definitely put Blackpool in pole position over us. We’ll be going there to win the game, we certainly won’t be going there not to lose.”

“That’s never been my way of thinking and I’m not going to change now.”