‘We asked more questions’ — Doolan’s Accrington keep another clean sheet at Oldham
Sunday 11 October 2026 · By Helen Ridgway
John Doolan left Boundary Park on Saturday feeling his Accrington Stanley side should have won. A goalless draw with Oldham Athletic still extended their unbeaten League Two run to four games, and it was a second clean sheet in a row.
Conditions made football difficult. The Lancashire Telegraph described a contest badly affected by swirling winds, with clear-cut chances at a premium. Stanley had the better of what there was. Alex Henderson’s shot on the turn just past the half-hour was well saved by Oldham goalkeeper Mat Hudson, and a Stefan Mols free kick was fumbled wide in stoppage time. Oldham appealed for a penalty when Keenan Appiah-Forson’s cutback appeared to strike Devon Matthews on the hand, but the referee gave only a corner.
Stanley also had to change their defence early. Captain Seamus Conneely went off with a groin injury after only 15 minutes.
Doolan was clear about which side had done more. “We were the better team, we asked more questions,” he said. “I am sure the statistics suggest all that in terms of corners and shots. We had opportunities, we just needed to show a bit more quality in certain areas.”
He was content with the defending. “I am a little bit disappointed we didn’t take the win but we are pleased with the clean sheet,” he said. “The wind made it difficult, the elements affected the game, but I was pleased with the way we set up and the desire and determination to keep a clean sheet.” He also thanked his squad: “The lads are giving everything for the club, we have players unavailable with injury so myself and Ged Brannan are delighted with the ones who played.”
Oldham manager Micky Mellon agreed it was a scrappy afternoon, saying the game “lacked any kind of quality”. For Stanley, it continued a solid run. A week earlier Warren scored twice late on to beat Cheltenham 2–0, and in midweek Accrington beat Salford on penalties in the EFL Trophy after a stoppage-time equaliser.
“Six games in all competitions unbeaten is a decent run, we should have more wins on the board but we haven’t,” Doolan said. “We should have got the win today but a clean sheet is good and we will take it into the next game.”
Stanley are 15th on 11 points from ten games, with two wins and five draws. They are four points off the play-off places and four above the bottom two.
The next four games will tell us more. In-form Gillingham visit on Saturday 17 October, before Stanley travel to York on Tuesday 20 October and Rochdale on 24 October. They host Northampton on 31 October. Doolan’s side are proving hard to beat. Now they need to turn more of these draws into wins.
Accrington Stanley’s home is still known to most travelling fans as the Crown Ground, even while the sponsored name Wham Stadium appears on tickets and signage. It sits on Livingstone Road, postcode BB5 5BX, on the edge of town beneath Whinney Hill. Opened in 1968 and holding about 5,450 (roughly 3,100 seated), it is one of the smallest grounds in the EFL and one of the most old-fashioned in a good way: close to the pitch, mixed seating and terracing, and a compact bowl that carries noise when both ends are full.
Visiting supporters are housed behind the east goal in the Coppice End, an uncovered standing terrace that can take up to around 1,800. If your club’s allocation is large, extra covered seats open in the Eric Whalley Stand along the Whinney Hill side, nearest the Coppice. If numbers are small the terrace may stay shut and you will sit instead. There is no roof on the Coppice, so bring a coat; Lancashire weather can turn in twenty minutes. The view is excellent. You stand almost on the goal line with no running track and little distance to the action.
Opposite you is the Clayton End, officially the Sophia Khan Stand, home of the Stanley Ultras. It is covered, with seats in the front rows and standing behind. That is where the noise comes from. Along the south side the ground is split in two: the Jack Barrett Memorial Stand, with dugouts and club rooms, and the John Smith’s Stand. They do not form one continuous block, which is part of the ground’s slightly ramshackle charm. The newer Eric Whalley Stand on the north side replaced the old three-row Cowshed in 2019 and is the most comfortable seating in the ground.
Accrington station is a 15 to 20 minute walk. Leave the station, drop towards town, then climb Whalley Road and turn into Livingstone Road; the ground is on the left. A taxi is cheap if you would rather not walk. By car, leave the M65 at junction 7 and follow signs for Accrington / A680. The on-site car park is small (a few hundred spaces at most), costs a few pounds, and fills early. A field beside the entrance often operates as matchday parking for a donation. Street parking around the ground is usually unrestricted if you park considerately and leave residents’ drives clear. Getting out of the official car park after full time can be slow.
Coley’s Bar inside the ground typically opens from midday on Saturdays and from late afternoon on midweek nights. A match ticket is usually required. Away fans are generally welcome there after the final whistle. Nearest pubs are The Crown, just off Whalley Road by the ground, and The Grey Horse a short walk away; both are used to mixed colours on a normal League afternoon. In town, about twenty minutes on foot, you will find The Stanley, Bee’s Knees and The Commercial. Food at the ground is standard football fare: pies, burgers and a hot drink. Facilities behind the Coppice are basic; toilets and a better bar sit nearer the Eric Whalley and main stands.
Turnstiles for away fans are at the Coppice / Livingstone Road end and usually open 90 minutes before kick-off. Check your club for cash versus card on the day; policy has varied. Flags are normally allowed if they do not block views or advertising. The record crowd is 5,397 against Derby County in the FA Cup in January 2019, which tells you how tight the place feels when it is full. Treat it as a proper lower-league day out: wrap up, arrive early if you want a park, and enjoy standing close enough to hear the goalkeeper.