WHEN Rory Prendergast left Accrington Stanley for Blackpool, few expected to see the wily winger's like again.

In emphatic fashion, Gary Roberts proved them wrong, and in doing so earned himself a dream Championship ticket and a three-and-a-half-year deal with Ipswich that went ahead earlier this week.

Now Stanley manager John Coleman is looking to new recruit Shaun Whalley to answer his left-wing prayers.

The former Chester wide man, who dropped down to non-league Witton Albion in the hope of resurrecting his football career, has had a hit and miss start to life at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

After a promising debut against Hartlepool United, Whalley suffered a major setback when he was sent off for a late challenge at Doncaster Rovers in the Johnstone Paints Trophy. The 19-year-old made his first start following suspension against Bristol Rovers, where the Reds suffered a 4-0 thrashing. He retained his place in the starting line-up at Mansfield last Saturday, but even that was scuppered when the match was abandoned at half-time due to a waterlogged pitch.

However, the former Crewe Alexandra target earned rave reviews from the Stanley boss for the part he played in the Reds' New Year's Day win at Wrexham - their first success in the league since mid-October.

"His ball retention was fantastic at Wrexham," Coleman said.

"He played the ball a hell of a lot and his link-up play was good. That's a pleasing prospect if he can start linking up even more with Paul Mullin and David Brown and the rest of the players.

"He has a lot to learn still and he has got to have a lot more end product. He had it on Monday, but he was a bit wasteful in possession in the first half of the game against Mansfield. After the lad had been booked for chopping Shaun down in the first two minutes he didn't really take him on again.

"But he is terrific running with the ball. It's a skill that not many people have in this day and age. People don't go by people with pace a lot, but he has got that.

"He can get better, and if he can concentrate on his football, with how he hurts teams and how he can benefit our team he can be a cracking prospect.

"I think anyone struggles to cope with players running at them at pace with the ball - going from our level right up to the top.

"I think if you've got someone in your side who's got that ability it will relieve a lot of pressure if he does it in the right areas."

And Coleman hopes those qualities will mean Whalley can fill the void created by Roberts' departure.

"I would hope he can. Crewe were keen to take him as well, and I think he has got the potential to certainly play higher than he is playing with us at the moment," the Stanley chief said.

"Whether he goes on to fulfil that potential, a lot will be down to how I handle him and how he conducts himself.

"His last game was promising, but he hasn't got to rest on his laurels now.

"His priority first and foremost will be keeping his shirt at Accrington, and if he can do that he'll be playing well."