GOAL hero Paul Mullin was left wishing he'd put a fiver on himself to be the first scorer on Saturday.

For Stanley's leading goalscorer had been given generous odds of 12/1 to net the first goal at the Fitness First Stadium.

But had it not been for a twist of fate, Mullin wouldn't have been the one to get his head to Rory Prendergast's near post corner and nod Stanley in front against Second Division Bournemouth.

"We'd worked on that corner in training," Mullin explained. "Jonathan Smith was supposed to be at the near post but he had gone off.

"I looked at John Coleman and asked if I should stand there and it worked a treat. Rory knocked a great ball in, I just took a couple of yards off the post and it was straight in off my head.

"You work on these things in training and you can't believe them when they come off.

"I saw in the programme I was 12/1 and I thought that was all right so I should have had a few quid on it myself.

"The lads were saying I should have had a fiver on it but I've done that in the past and I've never scored so I didn't bother."

He added: "I thought we were unlucky really because although they put us under a lot of pressure in the second half I thought we did well and worked hard and perhaps we could have nicked one at the end.

"But we've got to be happy with a draw because they're a good team.

"It's ideal to still be in the draw.

"We're under no illusions. It will be a very difficult game at our place. They really do knock the ball around well and if you lose possession it's extremely hard to get it back off them."