STANLEY boss John Coleman felt his side’s improved second half display was the key to the Reds returning from Walsall with all three points.

The Reds were 1-0 victors courtesy of Billy Kee’s seventh minute penalty but the Accrington chief was less than impressed with the first 45 minutes.

But he felt his players improved no end after the break and praised his side’s battling qualities to ensure they kept hold of their advantage to record a second straight win and move up to eighth in the League One table.

“I was far from delighted with our performance in the first half, we took the lead, deservedly so I thought if you can say that after six minutes,” Coleman said.

“For the next five or six minutes we controlled the game but after that Walsall battered us for half an hour.

“I think that was a combination of them upping their game and playing good football and us repeatedly giving the ball away in silly areas.

“There were a lot of harsh words said at half time and I thought in the second half we came out a different team and could have scored three or more in the second half.

“We constantly countered on them and made good chances and limited them to fewer chances than we did in the first half.”

Coleman admitted his side were playing too deep in the opening half and felt the Reds countered that in the second period.

And the Accrington boss wants to ensure his side keep the ball better moving forward.

“We were more mindful of what we had to do and we were better in possession,” said the Stanley boss of the second half display.

“We were playing too deep, the game had to be competed 25 yards higher up the pitch because it was taking place on the edge of our box so we changed that by getting people higher up the pitch.”