This Week's Opposition: Accrington Stanley

The Blues are winless in 5 league matches and have slumped down to 8th as a result. Accrington Stanley are up next, following last week’s 2-0 defeat at Adams Park.

Wycombe Wanderers inflicted Pompey’s 3rd league defeat of the season on Sunday afternoon when Anis Mehmeti and Garath McCleary scored either side of the break.

Let’s delve deeper into the side looking to extend the Blues’ recent misery.

MANAGER

Between 1999 and 2012, John Coleman had managed Accrington Stanley, whom he was able to have success with, winning promotion on 3 occasions with the final one in 2006 resulting in the club’s entry into the Football League.

In January 2012, Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell left Lancashire to take position in the dugout at Rochdale, however they returned to Accy just 20 months later, following less than successful stints at Southport and Sligo Rovers.

Since his re-appointment at the Crown Ground in September 2014, Coleman has overseen over 430 league matches and has taken the club from the 4th tier of English football into League One, following promotion as Champions of League Two in 2018.

ONE TO WATCH

Former Manchester United youngster Ethan Hamilton, who is squad number 4 at Accrington, is our one to watch this time around.

The 24-year-old signed for Stanley from Peterborough last August, having been with the Posh for just one season. Despite making nearly 40 appearances in all competitions for Peterborough during the 2020/21 campaign, Hamilton scored just 1 goal - A second half strike at London Road in a 5-1 Papa John’s Trophy knockout stage victory over Pompey.

So far this term, the midfielder has featured in all 20 of Accy’s league fixtures and has chipped in with 2 goals.

TOP SCORER

Club stalwart Sean McConville is currently Stanley’s leading scorer this season with 5 goals in all competitions to date.

The 33-year-old winger re-joined in 2015 for his second spell at the club, having previously represented Accrington between 2009 and 2011, within such time he bagged 14 goals in 76 league appearances.

Since returning 7 years ago, McConville has found the back of the net on 51 occasions, making almost 300 appearances.

CURRENT FORM

John Coleman’s side currently sit 19th in League One, having collected 21 points from their opening 20 matches of the campaign.

Accy are 2 positions and 4 points above the drop zone and head into this weekend’s game off the back of 4 games unbeaten in all competitions, securing a 1-0 victory at Cambridge United in the league before progressing in both the Papa John’s Trophy and The FA Cup, with wins over Grimsby and Barnet respectively.

More recently, they held Oxford United to a 1-1 draw on home turf with the aforementioned Ethan Hamilton on the scoresheet late on, having gone behind to a James Henry strike on the 58th minute.

Can Pompey pick up what would be just a 2nd win in their last 11 league matches or will Accrington Stanley prove another side the Blues find difficult to beat?

All of the unmissable action on Pompey Live with Robbie James, Jake Smith and Jay Sadler from 2 O'Clock this Saturday afternoon!