A POINT from leaders Chester, three points from third-placed Barnet and collecting the Lancashire Sports Personality of the Year award - life couldn't get much better for Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman.

But the icing on the cake for what has been a truly memorable week for the likeable Scouser would undoubtedly be the scalp of Bournemouth.

Tomorrow, the Reds go head-to-head with the Cherries in their FA Cup second round clash at the Fitness First Stadium.

And, after an Andy Gouck thunderbolt late in their first round tie dumped Huddersfield out of the competition, Coleman knows Bournemouth will be wary of his Conference outfit.

But the Stanley chief isn't one to concern himself with what other people think. All he is worried about is what goes on among his own ranks and how they prepare for one of the biggest games in their proud history.

"It's been a good week," said Coleman, who fended off competition from the likes of World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson and Lancashire and England cricket star Andrew Flintoff to lift the award this week.

"Losing to Stevenage then having the horror show against Telford, you lose a little bit of confidence.

"But we've got that back. Getting the draw against Chester last week helped a lot in that respect, then beating Barnet."

On a personal note, he added: "Getting the award on Monday night was great as well, but that's testament to the club as a whole.

"I didn't expect to get it at all, but it's a good boost for Stanley and I'm going to put the trophy in the club's cabinet."

But the Reds' big game is hot on the heels of Coleman's big night.

And the Stanley boss is hoping for even more celebrations this weekend.

"By virtue of beating Barnet, that's taken the pressure of us a little bit," he said.

"It's going to be a difficult game and we'll be playing in front of the highest attendance I've been involved in, but we'll obviously be trying to win.

"Every game has its own different aspects and, at the moment, this is the biggest game we've been involved in.

"But we have a saying that the next game we play is always the biggest and, if you stick to that theory, that way you raise your game for every match you're involved in.

"Hopefully we'll enjoy the day and if we can get a result that would be great."

Last weekend's opponents Barnet have gone to extreme measures in their quest for a place in the FA Cup third round.

They take on Yeovil tomorrow and have spent the week leading up to the game practising yoga, and they had a team bonding session thanks to a night out at the theatre with their partners to help focus their minds on the task in hand.

Perhaps the most curious of their preparations was the yoga session, where they centre their minds on an apple, because Yeovil wear green, then the apple was surrounded by a red scarf.

Manager Martin Allen said: "It's all part of the preparation to support the Reds and crush the Greens."

But Stanley haven't resorted to such shenanigans ahead of their trip to the south coast.

All the players and staff have been granted the day off work today - even school teacher Coleman - to travel to the resort.

"Most have got accommodating employees and realise how important it is," the Reds boss said.

"We'll stop off for lunch on the way, get there at a decent hour then the lads can relax, have an evening meal and then they can get a good night's sleep without having to rush around.

"Wimborne Town have invited us to train at their ground so we'll go there tomorrow morning and then get ready for the game."

He added: "Hopefully it will be a good weekend.

"Obviously it's going to be difficult for those who aren't selected but that's what happens when you've got a 22-man squad."

Few will find it tougher to remain on the sidelines than Coleman himself - a prolific striker in his heyday who notched the competition's fastest hat-trick in the mid-nineties.

"There's no substitute for playing for the team," he said.

"But the lads who don't get to play will be there supporting us."