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Accrington Stanley: Piero Mingoia talks promotion - “We can smell it”

28 April 2016

It's a simple equation for Accrington Stanley – win their last two matches and they will secure promotion to Sky Bet League 1.

Wycombe Wanderers are their first opponents, on Saturday, before a home match against Stevenage on the final day.

Two wins will do it, but they might not even need six points if teams elsewhere slip up. Bristol Rovers, in fourth – the highest Play-Off place – are two points behind, while Plymouth trail Stanley by four points.

It's so close – Mingoia and his team-mates know it, too.

“We can smell it [promotion] now,” the winger told accringtonstanley.co.uk.

“We’ve got to go out there and get the job done. We’ve said from day one that there’s only one ambition and that’s promotion.

“There are nerves but there’s plenty of excitement too. The boys seem quite relaxed. Obviously being where we are comes with pressure and everyone knows that but everyone just believes that if we perform we will get results.

“That belief and concentration and doing your job right is the key. If we get the performance level right then usually we get the points we want.

“The lads are relaxed this week. There’s a nice atmosphere in and around the ground every day. Once we get to Wycombe we know what we have to do.”

Mingoia, a midfielder, came through the Watford youth ranks before enjoying loan spells at various clubs including Stanley. He was then released from Vicarage Road at the end of the 2012/13 season and signed for Accrington on a permanent contract.

In his first season, the Lancashire club ended the campaign seven points above the drop zone, in 15th, prior to a 17th-placed  finish in 2014/15.

Then it's onto this term, where John Coleman's men have notched 81 points, courtesy of 23 wins and 12 draws, to stand on the verge of promotion with two games to go, possessing an unbeaten run of 10 matches.

“We’ve outplayed teams and seen them in the automatic places, looking up at them for the majority of the season and striving to get there,” Mingoia added.

“Now that we’re there we don’t want to let it slip. Everyone will be doing their bit to stay there.

“I think I’ve been through it all in three years here. It’s very different to a relegation battle and obviously this is where you want to be. It’s great to be challenging at the top but we haven’t achieved anything yet and until we actually do it I won’t be saying anything else.”

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