Harrogate Railway 1 Accrington Stanley 2. . .

ACCRINGTON Stanley claimed their third win of the pre-season campaign with a victory over Harrogate Railway last night.

Manager John Coleman started with a mixed side of first team players and trialists to face the Northern Counties East outfit, who play four divisions below the Nationwide Conference.

Stanley started well and took the lead on 20 minutes after Damien Hindle lost his marker and fired past the goalkeeper.

But their lead was short-lived as the home side equalised just two minutes later, taking advantage of a lapse in concentration by the Reds' defence and giving Turkish trialist goalkeeper Nejbet Hussein no chance.

As the half progressed, Stanley did look the stronger side, but failed to take their chances.

Jonathan Smith headed just over the bar from a James Locke corner, Lutel James found himself one on one with the keeper but his shot was off target and Locke himself had a header from short range that was aimed straight at the goalkeeper.

At half-time the scores remained level.

Danny Alcock replaced Hussein in goal after the break and Stanley continued to dominate in the second half.

Harrogate Railway did have a very strong appeal for a penalty on the hour mark turned down, but it was James who finally found the winner for Stanley on 67 minutes, skilfully skipping past three defenders before slotting the ball into the bottom left hand corner.

Coleman replaced Hindle in the last five minutes of the game, and almost made an immediate impact after he was fouled on the edge of the box, but his resultant free kick failed to trouble the Railway goalkeeper.