STANLEY boss John Coleman lamented two “pathetic” goals as his side lost on the opening day of the League One campaign at Wycombe.

Garath McCleary scored twice as Gareth Ainsworth’s men won 2-1, Matt Butcher’s deflected strike giving Stanley hope with four minutes left.

In what was a belated response from the visitors, Dion Charles fired over as the hosts held on for the win.

“Two absolutely pathetic goals in the space of seven minutes have cost us the game,” Coleman said.

“The first time Wycombe had entered our final third, after eight minutes, they scored.

“I think, on the balance of play, we’ve gone into half-time 2-0 down when we’ve been the better team, but they did look a threat and we didn’t defend anywhere near like we should have done.

“We got the goal too little, too late and we ran out of time.

“You know what you’re going to get out of Wycombe – they know how to kill the game and, like any other team, they do, so fair play to them. But that game could have been so different.”

Stanley started well with Joe Pritchard an early threat but it was Wycombe who took the lead on their first attack on nine minutes.

Daryl Horgan got on the end of a ball over the top on the left, played a low ball into the box which evaded former Burnley striker Sam Vokes but found McCleary who side-footed home.

There were huge appeals for a penalty when the returning Ross Sykes looked to be hauled down from a corner but referee Charles Breakspear was having none of it.

It was end-to-end with Harry Pell clearing a Vokes header off the line and then Wycombe made it two on 15 minutes.

It was McCleary again who got the ball from a counter-attack, with the Reds appealing for offside, and from around 20 yards out he found the back of the net.

The Reds looked to get back in it and, on 36 minutes, Coleman’s side had a great chance when a Charles shot was fumbled by David Stockdale, it came straight to Pritchard around five yards out, but he could only find the side-netting. Sean McConville’s free-kick was dangerous in the early stages of the second half while Wycombe then had a good chance, Horgan slicing wide.

Stanley were hunting for a way back and Pritchard played a fantastic ball into the box just before the hour mark which stretching Colby Bishop just couldn’t connect with.

At the other end Adebayo Akinfenwa pounced on a loose ball but his strike was tipped around the post by Trafford, the big frontman then firing over with 10 minutes to go.

With four minutes to go, Joel Mumbongo kept the ball alive as Wycombe failed to clear their lines and it fell to Butcher whose strike took a deflection and found its way into the net.

Charles had a chance to level but fired off-target and, despite five minutes of added time and Stanley pressure, they couldn’t grab the leveller.