ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman has hailed captain Peter Cavanagh as the catalyst of the Reds' end of season revival.

The right back spent almost four months out with a knee injury from November to March, during which time Stanley only won three games in 16 League Two outings.

Since his return the Reds have recorded four wins from the seven games Cavanagh has been involved in, and Coleman believes it is no coincidence the backline has looked more solid with the 25-year-old back in the line-up.

"I think he's made a massive difference to us," the Stanley boss said.

"Personally, I think he's one of the best attacking right backs in the league.

"He gives us that balance and he's a good defender as well. And I think it's been no coincidence that our upturn in home form has coincided with him coming back."

But Coleman has praised the defence as a whole for looking a much tighter unit in recent outings, although the number of goals conceded remains a concern ahead of tomorrow's trip to Shrewsbury for the penultimate game to be played at Gay Meadow.

The last time the Reds kept a clean sheet on their travels, Gary Roberts and Ian Craney were still part of the squad when they recorded a 2-0 win over recently relegated Torquay United in October.

A long-awaited repeat is just one of the targets Coleman has set his men for tomorrow.

"We have been defending better, although we haven't had a clean sheet away from home for what seems like an eternity. Maybe we can do that tomorrow," he said.

"When you look at the table it's horrible reading the goals we've conceded.

"I'd say half of them have been absolutely diabolical goals as well, and that's something that we have to address - certainly next season, if we are in this league, it's something that can't continue.

"We're trying to defend better.

"A lot of the goals we've conceded this season have been down to individual errors and we've got to eliminate them.

"I think we're amongst the top three or four for goals scored. But if you look at all the teams near the top you have to get a healthy plus goal difference.

"Goal difference at the end can win you a league or promotion. The top teams all have a healthy goal difference, ours is negative. It's the first time it's been negative since I came here. That's not nice.

"You'd swap some of the goals that you scored to be able to half the goals you've conceded."

He added: Our home form has taken a remarkable upturn. We have to now transfer that to away."