Ipswich Town travel to Accrington Stanley this weekend looking to get back to winning ways in League One after their draw with Barnsley last Saturday. MIKE BACON takes a look at the opposition.

The story so far....

Five League One games in and Accrington Stanley are one of only three teams in the division still undefeated, Portsmouth and Ipswich the other two.

However, while Pompey and Town hog the top two places in the table, Stanley are 11th, due to the fact they have drawn four of those five opening fixtures.

Yes, Accrington are the draw specialists so far in League One this season, with neither Charlton, Burton, MK Dons nor Exeter able to lower Stanley's colours, while Shrewsbury lost 0-1 to John Coleman's side.

The Stanley boss knows his team need to start turning one point into three.

“We are unbeaten but we haven’t won nearly enough,” said Coleman.

“We have only won one game and we have to start winning games, that’s the currency in football and we are desperate to do that."

Just for good measure, Accrington drew their Carabao Cup first round clash with Tranmere (before losing on penalties), and drew with Rochdale in midweek in the EFL Trophy (before winning on penalties).

Leaving it late

Don't ever think you have the points in the bag against Accrington this season.

They have become the late, late, goal-getters, going the full 90 minutes, and more, to secure goals and last-gasp points.

On opening weekend, Korede Adedoyin netted a 90+6 minute equaliser after Charlton had gone 2-1 up after 90+4.

Two weeks later and Stanley were at it again, this time two 90+ minute goals, from Rosaire Longelo and Josh Woods, sealed a dramatic 4-4 draw with Burton, while goals in the last 13 minutes saw Stanley beat Shrewsbury and pick up a point at MK Dons.

So, be warned Town - the game at the Wham Stadium is never over until it's over.

'Ipswich don't belong in League One'

Accrington boss John Coleman is the third longest-serving manager in English football, behind Wycombe's Gareth Ainsworth and Simon Weaver, of Harrogate.

A no-nonsense scouser, Coleman is in his second spell at Accrington, having been boss between 1999 and 2012, before a short spell at Rochdale.

He knows the task his team face against Town.

“Ipswich are a massive club and they have signed a raft of quality players," he said.

"It didn’t quite materialise for them last season but I like to see the big clubs thrive, be where they belong and Ipswich don’t belong in League One.

"However, while they are in this level, we will do our damnedest to make it difficult for them."

Coleman returned to, what is now the Wham Stadium, in 2014 for his second stint in charge and he's clocked up more than 1,000 games with Accrington as manager during those two occasions, with a win ratio of 40%, an extraordinary feat.

He had a long playing career, mainly in non-league, and also had a short spell in Wales with Rhyl. He was a prolific non-league goalscorer, with more than 500 goals to his name in a career spanning two decades.

Head-to-head

Accrington and Ipswich have only met seven times and all in recent years, Stanley winning three times and Town four.

In fact, the two teams didn't meet for the first time until an FA Cup clash in 2019 saw the Lancashire side come out on top, 1-0 victors.

Accrington's three wins, including that FA Cup win, have all come at home, while Ipswich have managed to win once at the Wham Stadium, back in March 2021 when Paul Cook looked on having just joined Town as boss, James Norwood and James Wilson netting in a 1-2 victory.

The last time the two teams met, at Portman Road, Wes Burns and Conor Chaplin sealed Town a 2-1 home win.

What the bookies say

Town are odds-on favourites again, which is becoming something of a theme with the bookies so far this season.

A home win is reasonably generous, while a draw, bearing in mind Accrington currently thrive on draws and Town don't have the greatest record at the Wham Stadium, could be a little comforter for Blues fans taking a punt on that, should Town not grab all the points.

TOWN WIN: 17/20: STANLEY WIN: 14/5: THE DRAW: 5/2

Did you know?

One very famous son of Accrington is David Lloyd, one-time manager/coach of the England cricket team and now commentator/media man. 'Bumble' is well known for his Lancashire accent and forthright, down-to-earth manner of speech.