Stanley signed off their pre-season campaign with victory over Conference North newcomers Chorley.

James Gray and Josh Windass were on target as the Reds now look ahead to start of the League Two campaign at home to Southend on August 9th.

Once again James Beattie fielded a team of first teamers with the only trialist keeper Luke Simpson, a former Oldham goalie.

It was Garry Flitcroft’s side who created the early chances with Jack Dorney forcing a good save out of Simpson while former Red Tom Smyth headed over the bar from the resulting corner.

Chorley were cheered on from the dug-out by former Stanley star Jonathon Smith, who is a coach at Victory Park.

Stanley then began to exert pressure and Windass was denied by Chorley keeper Sam Ashton while the stopper also tipped over Gray’s effort.

Ashton was once again the hero when he kept out Kal Naismith’s free kick but he couldn’t stop Gray’s strike from a Piero Mingoia cross in the 28th minute which nestled into the bottom corner of the net.

Windass almost doubled the score with a breakaway and chip which sailed narrowly over the bar while, on the stroke of half-time, Simpson was at full stretch to keep out Adam Roscoe’s goalbound strike as Chorley looked to level the scores.

Flitcroft made a number of changes after the break but it was Stanley who got their second on 56 minutes when Windass slid the ball into the net from Naismith’s deflected right wing cross.

Naismith then agonisingly missed an open goal, chipping over the crossbar, with Ashton stranded.

Brett Ormerod and Marcus Carver entered the fray with 20 minutes to go for Stanley while youth team product Liam Goulding also got his chance in the final seven minutes. Trialist Lee Wort also came on late on but Stanley couldn’t add to the score.

STANLEY: Simpson, Buxton, Aldred, Winnard, Liddle, Mingoia, Joyce, Hunt, Windass, Naismith, Gray

Subs: McCartan, Carver, Wort, Jenkins, Martin, Ormerod, Goulding, Atkinson, Bowerman

CHORLEY: Ashton, Ross, Dodd, Teague, Smyth, Cottrell, Hine, Roscoe, Stephenson, Dorney, Jarvis

Subs:  Jacobs, Winter, Almond, Esclaine-Binney, Jansen, Grundy