Stanley lost out to Championship side Blackburn Rovers in the first pre-season friendly at the Store First Stadium.

The Reds had chances with Josh Windass hitting the post and Anthony Barry having a penalty saved but Rovers secured the win with strikes from Dean Furman and Craig Conway.

John Coleman played two different XI’s in each half – as did Blackburn –as 1,497 turned to watch the game.

Stanley had the first chance when Windass rattled the post with a 20 yard effort after just three minutes while Darren Lenihan headed over at the other end.

The Championship side opened the scoring on 12 minutes when a cross from the right by Ryan Nyambe was fired low into the net by Furman.

Stanley’s new keeper Jason Mooney did well to turn a Ben Marshall free kick around the post and he also kept out a Shane Duffy header.

There was a big worry for Blackburn when striker Jordan Rhodes went down after blocking a ball and was stretchered off on the half hour mark with an ankle injury, ex-Red loanee John O’Sullivan coming on for him.

Marshall fired over from the edge of the area and also sent a free kick just wide as Blackburn carved out more of the chances in the first half.

Stanley changed their entire XI for the second half and Gerardo Bruna tried his luck with a free kick which keeper David Raya kept out of the top corner.

Ross Etheridge in goal for the Reds made a couple of decent saves while Chris Brown burst through one-on-one with the stopper but could only find Etheridge’s arms.

Stanley earned a penalty on 67 minutes when keeper Raya brought down Adam Morgan after a short back pass with the keeper denying Anthony Barry from the spot.

Sacha Petshi had Etheridge scrambling with a 40-yard shot before Conway added a second, firing into the top corner of the net from the right hand side of the area.

Former Liverpool striker Morgan could have got one back with virtually the last kick for Stanley but Raya kept him out from close range.

Starting XI: Mooney, Winnard Pearson, Wright, Davies, Crooks, McConville, McCartan, Windass, Kee, Carver

Substitutions: Etheridge, Conneely, Morgan, Mingoia, Cummins, Goulding, Bruna, Gornell, Barry, trialist x 2, Buxton, St Juste