Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman is steeling himself for a revenge mission.

Coleman takes his side to Conference promotion counterparts Hereford United tomorrow, and the Reds boss feels they will have a score to settle after his side pipped them to the title last season.

"They will feel they were more of a league side than us with being in touch with the league when we weren't for 44 years," Coleman said.

"They have been a big club in non-league football for a long time and now they're trying to be a big club in the league, just as we are."

But Coleman has his own score to settle, after some dubious refereeing decisions meant their charge for the Conference was drawn out last term, after a controversial 2-2 draw at Edgar Street.

"Last year we were very disappointed we didn't win there," he said.

"I think we would have probably closed up the title if we had won there.

"I was bitterly disappointed after the game with the circumstances - after being 2-0 up, them scoring in the 96th minute and Danny Ventre getting harshly sent off."

Nevertheless, Coleman admits that he is pleased to see Hereford holding their own three places below Stanley in the League Two.

"It's nice to see Hereford doing well because it enhances the value of our Conference win last year," he said.

"If the team that had come up with us had struggled, or we had struggled ourselves, maybe people would have thought (the Conference) wasn't that good a league.

"It was a good league to win last year. It was a really difficult league to win.

"This league is posing its own problems in itself.

"Carlisle didn't get the best of starts last season but went on a great run and got promoted.

"I'm sure Hereford feel the same way as us - if you can get on that run you can get promoted.

"Hereford got a particularly good start and we didn't. It's started to balance itself out now.

"They will feel that maybe they had a bit of a head-start on us on that. But when it comes down to it it's 11 against 11.

"We'll be going all out to win and I'm sure we'll bring a lot more than the 12 (supporters) who came when we played them in the FA Trophy replay a couple of seasons ago.

"Our away support has been fantastic - they really get behind the players and I know they appreciate.

"Hereford historically have good crowds against us so it will make a great atmosphere tomorrow."

He added: "They'll be buoyed by a fantastic away win last week at Milton Keynes Dons. They'll be coming into this game bubbling and full of confidence and I'm sure they will want to put one over on us for their fans for the fact that we won the league and they didn't.

"Apart from the game we lost in the FA Trophy replay a couple of years ago, when Mike Flynn got sent off early on, I think we've acquitted ourselves well there and played some good football, so hopefully we will go one step further than last year and hopefully we can get that win."

Coleman is forced into one change this weekend, with Leam Richardson suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season against Carlisle in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

And while he was aiming to bring in a League One player in time for tomorrow's trip, the Stanley boss insisted he had plenty of other options at his disposal for cover.

"I'm sure whoever gets the nod will equip themselves well," he said.

"Peter Cavanagh joined in full training this week and I think he's going to be fit for tomorrow, so that's a player back."