STANLEY skipper Seamus Conneely admits he is not a good spectator - especially when he is stuck on the sidelines with an injury.

The 30-year-old has missed the Reds last six games with a niggling groin injury including last week’s much-needed 3-1 win at Wycombe Wanderers.

The midfielder was back in contention for Saturday’s clash with Rochdale at the Wham Stadium before the match was postponed so is hoping to be available for selection for the weekend trip to Burton Albion.

“It’s hard watching football anytime but it’s even harder watching it from home,” said Conneely who did not make the midweek trip to Adams Park.

“I wasn’t at Wycombe as I have been struggling with a groin injury but I had an injection on the Monday, when the team were travelling down, and that has eased it.

“I was back in training Thursday and hope to be back in contention.”

Conneely said he was glad to see the recalled Billy Kee back in the goals while Paul Smyth - who was also on the scoresheet - helped the Reds end a run of three consecutive defeats

“I would have loved to have been in the dressing room after for the sheer relief as we have been waiting for that win for some time,” he said.

“You can always trust Billy (Kee) from the penalty spot though and to do it twice takes a lot of mental strength as the ‘keeper can probably read it better for the second spot kick.

“Paul Smyth also got another goal and his pace is causing problems for League One defences.”

Stanley travelled to Wycombe on the back of three consecutive defeats against Coventry, Blackpool and Barnsley.

Conneely admitted it was a tough run of fixtures but said Stanley should have got more out of the game against the Seasiders where keeper Dimi Evtimov was sent off.

But he said the players targeted the Wycombe and Rochdale games as winnable matches.

“Looking back to those three games, I thought the Blackpool result was tough on us,” Conneely told the club website. “We were the better team in the first half and were unlucky not to be ahead at half-time. The second half was end-to-end and then they got the late penalty.

“Obviously Dimi (Evtimov) was sent off which made it an uphill battle after that and I felt we were unlucky not to at least grab a draw.

“We knew Barnsley would be tough, they are the best team in the league in my opinion and I fully expect them to go straight up.

“That’s why we looked at both Wycombe and Rochdale as an opportunity to get three points in each,” added Conneely before the Dale game was postponed.

Although the captain has not been happy with his watching brief - he hasn’t played since the 2-2 draw at Sunderland in mid-February - it has given him the chance to run the rule over players on the pitch and he has been impressed with Harvey Rodgers who has improved since returning from a loan spell Hartlepool.

“Harvey has come into the side and done well,” he said. “In his first spell with us, he did really well.

“He came back in the summer but it’s been stop-start for him.

“He went out on loan and has come back stronger and you can see the confidence visibly grow in him with every game he plays.

“He is back to how he was the first time he was here and long may it continue.”