Accrington stay unbeaten in eight but Doolan says a late equaliser at home to Northampton ‘feels like a defeat’
Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Victor Dyson
Accrington Stanley extended their unbeaten league run to eight games on Saturday, but manager John Doolan was not in a mood to celebrate after a late equaliser by Northampton Town denied his side a 1–1 home win.
Charlie Warren, on loan from Bolton, put Stanley in front after five minutes, and the Press Association reported that they looked on course for a win that would have taken them into the play-off places. But Elliott List, who came on as a 75th-minute substitute, equalised in the second minute of added time.
Doolan was clear about how he felt. “We should have won, we should have seen it out,” he said. “We had chances in the game to make sure that happened and didn’t take them.” He praised Warren: “It was a great goal from Charlie with a good touch and finish. Charlie is a top player, a good finisher, which is why we brought him to the club, and he is getting better, shown by the goals he has scored for us.”
He added: “We are disappointed, it feels like a defeat. I know we have kept our unbeaten run going but we have got to see that out. The lads are down but we will get them going again. There is no reason why we can’t go further up the league.”
Northampton manager Chris Hogg was in a different mood. He admitted that the first half was “nothing we want to be as a football team” and credited his substitutes. “It was a great finish from Listy, he made a decent impact coming on,” Hogg said. “You always know you will get a moment and we showed character and grit.” He also said that Accrington “played well”.
The point leaves Accrington ninth on 19 points from 14 games. Standing after the weekend’s games, they have four wins, seven draws and three defeats, with 23 goals scored and 17 conceded. Grimsby and York hold the last two play-off places on 20 points, so Doolan’s side are one point behind them, and Gillingham are eighth, also on 20.
The draws are the story of their season. Seven of the 14 league games have finished level, and BBC form for the last six reads win, draw, win, draw, win, draw.
Next up is an FA Cup first-round tie at home to Wycombe on Saturday 7 November at 3pm. An EFL Trophy trip to Sheffield Wednesday follows, which is now listed for Wednesday 11 November at 7pm, although some listings still show Tuesday. The next league game is at Port Vale on Saturday 14 November at 3pm.
Doolan has said his side can go further up the league, and the table backs him up. They are one point from the top seven, and the next task is turning some of those 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.