STANLEY boss John Coleman has heaped praise on goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin, but has warned him to keep up the good work tomorrow if he wants to keep his place.

Dunbavin will start again in the home clash with mid-table Cheltenham after saving a penalty in a good performance at Chesterfield lasr Saturday.

The 29-year-old had spent the past two seasons as understudy to Kenny Arthur but the Scot’s decision to join Rochdale during the summer opened the way again.

Alan Martin was brought in on loan from Leeds and started the season in the team but Dunbavin got his chance when the 20-year-old was on Scotland under 21 duty at the start of September – the first of several times Martin will be absent to play in internationals.

Dunbavin was able to retain his place when Martin returned and, although mistakes from both have seen the goalkeeper’s position swap hands once more since then, the more experienced man has the gloves again now.

And, with Martin away on international duty again tomorrow, Coleman has challenged Dunbavin to remain consistent.

The former Halifax keeper has sometimes been prone to mistakes in the past, conceding the penalty he saved at Chesterfield for a foul on Wade Small and losing his place two weeks earlier after an error at Hereford.

“Bav was outstanding on Saturday,” said the Stanley boss. “He ended up conceding a penalty but he made some great saves and commanded his area quite well.

“He has played well recently, but I’m sure if he had played that way against Hereford he wouldn’t have been left out.”

Tomorrow’s game is the first of six to take place at the Crown Ground in 16 days.

Stanley – currently 14th in League Two – host Blackburn Rovers and Austin Aztex in fund-raising friendlies on Tuesday and Thursday before a league game against Bournemouth on October 17, a Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second round tie against Shrewbsury on October 20 and a fund-raiser between a Stanley legends team and the Stanley Ultras on October 25.

The Reds could be paired with Leeds, Carlisle, Bradford, Bury, Chesterfield, Grimsby or Port Vale when the draw takes place for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy northern quarter final on Soccer AM tomorrow.