ACCRINGTON Stanley’s home pre-season friendly against Blackburn Rovers on July 16 has been switched to Morecambe’s Globe Arena because the Reds’ new Crown Ground pitch will not be ready in time.

Stanley have spent £30,000 on the second stage of work on the playing surface and are keen to avoid the problems that blighted it during 2010/11, when the season started with the pitch not fully ready.

Both clubs decided to switch the friendly to Morecambe, initially due to kick off at noon, because Rovers are already due to send another team to the Globe Arena to face the Shrimps on the same day at 3pm. The games will now be a double header.

Shrewsbury are yet to announce the signing of Terry Gornell but Stanley are resigned to the fact that the striker will join the Shropshire club.

Sean Hessey, Ian Dunbavin, Craig Lindfield, Leam Richardson, Peter Murphy and Alan Burton have agreed deals to stay, though, with Sean McConville and Charlie Barnett set to follow suit in the next few days.