FORMER Stanley striker Steve Shaughnessy returned to the Crown Ground to haunt the Reds as they went down to their second successive defeat.

And Reds boss John Coleman needs to do some fine-tuning before Saturday's FA Cup tie with Peterloo Newtown.

In the opening minute Shaughnessy was put through and should have done better than mishit his shot at Jamie Speare.

Eight minutes later though, he made no mistake to give Trafford the lead when he latched on to a ball from Gareth Feeney and cut through the Reds defence before beating Speare with a shot which went in off the far post.

Stanley did have the ball in the net on 26 minutes when Russell Payne beat three men, passed to Mark Shirley and, though his shot was parried by Gary Stones, Mark Ceraolo buried the rebound but the referee's assistant flagged for offside.

Stuart Diggle hit the crossbar from close range after James Gedman's free kick had been headed on by Jonathan Smith. But Trafford increased their lead four minutes before the break when Shaughnessy turned Smith in the penalty area and laid the ball off to Mike Garside who scored.

Stanley pulled a goal back in first half stoppage time when Ged Walsh crossed to Payne and his lay off was tucked away by Diggle from close range.

Coleman introduced Billy O'Callaghan as a second half substitute in a bid to pep things up and he made an immediate impact with two shots at goal.

And the Reds almost grabbed an equaliser on 82 minutes when Smith headed just over.

Then in the dying seconds, Mark Brennan's close-range shot was brilliantly saved by Stones to leave Reds fans frustrated for the second time in four days.

Former Blackburn Rovers and Bolton midfielder Mark Patterson scored on his debut for Leigh RMI last night. Patterson had been linked with a move to Rossendale United but has signed for the Hilton Park club instead.

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