Vics succumbed to a second pre-season defeat of the week after three second half goals gave a strong Accrington Stanley side a deserved win at the Victoria Stadium this afternoon.

Both teams began this game with a good tempo. The first chance fell to the Npower League Two side kicking towards the Cement Works, but Jamie Spencer smothered well.

Referee Darren Handley was called into action on several occasions as tempers frayed in the opening stages. Right back Inderjeet Aujla went into the book on 10 minutes following a bad tackle.

John Coleman’s side continued to have the lion’s share of possession, hitting the right upright moments later with Spencer beaten.

Peter Murphy’s centre was deflected onto the roof of the net by Michael Connor soon after, before the Stanley midfielder was allowed acres of space in the Vics box. The linesman on the near side correctly ruled offside, but Spencer smothered Murphy’s shot nonetheless.

Craig Flowers did well at the other end, rising highest in the box, but his dipping header was well held by Ian Dunbavin in the visitors’ goal.

Connor, who only returned to training this week after pledging to stay at the club for the forthcoming season, then went on a good forward run. His low left foot shot from the edge of the area lacked any venom though.

Sean McConville had a great chance at the other end but somehow failed to turn the ball in at the far post.

The winger then almost turned provider with a centre from the right flank, which had to be cut out at the near post by Flowers for a corner. Centre half Matty Brown headed just over from the resulting flag kick.

Vics responded and Aujla’s fine cross from the right almost found former Witton Albion and Altrincham target man John McAliskey who challenged the goalkeeper for the ball, but Dunbavin did well to block.

Alex Lowe came on for the injured Kingsley Williams on 37 minutes, after the former Crewe youngster took a knock to the ankle.

Ollie Ryan was then sent clear with a lofted through ball, but Dunbavin smothered again as the striker shaped to shoot.

Connor picked the ball up in the centre of the park once more and went on another mazy run. The ball eventually came out to McAliskey, whose dipping left foot effort was just off target to the left of goal.

At the opposite end Brown was left with space to fire in a left foot shot, but Spencer saved well and Murphy headed straight into the goalkeeper’s hands with the follow up minutes before the interval.

The sides went in level at the break after an evenly contested first period.

Andy Preece made several changes for the start of the second half. George Clegg, Liam Beswick, Paul Pearson, Michael Branch and Liam Newman were all brought on by the manager.

Like in the first half, the first goalscoring opportunity of the second half fell to John Coleman’s side. Ray Putterill struck a fierce snapshot across goal from outside the area, but it sailed wide of Spencer’s right upright.

The striker found the net just a minute later though, swivelling well in the box to lash home a right foot effort.

Coleman then opted to make some changes of his own on the hour mark. Former Tricky Luke Joyce was brought on alongside Andy Parkinson, Michael Jukes, Rory Boulding and DJ Turner.

Boulding was soon in the thick of the action too, heading over at the near post from a corner kick on the far side.

Parkinson put an effort onto the roof of the net moments later, but he had already been ruled offside by assistant Ian Bonney.

Brown rose highest from another corner, but failed to get over the ball as his header went well over Spencer’s crossbar in the 67th minute.

Jimmy Ryan then unleashed a speculative long-range shot that sailed just wide of the top left corner.

Mario Bryan replaced Paul Pearson seconds later, before Boulding was allowed space in the box again, but was forced out wide. He still managed to get a shot away though but it was well saved by Spencer, who quickly pounced to gather the loose ball at the second attempt.

Aujla came off for Wayne Riley in the 75th minute. The player of the season for the last campaign only returned from holiday this morning and received warm applause from the home supporters.

Stanley made two more changes themselves, Zak Riley and Michael Hall coming on for Phil Edwards and John Bateson respectively.

A Flowers error at the back then allowed Boulding to turn and poke the ball in to double the visitors’ lead.

Tim Lawton’s long throw from the right caused some alarm in the Stanley penalty area, but Vics failed to capitalise and turn in the loose ball.

Branch did well to twist and turn and hold up the ball as he waited for support to arrive. He played a quick one-two with Riley before unleashing a left foot shot that was just wide of the top left corner as Vics looked for a way back into the game.

Des Flanaghan came off as McAliskey came back on up front, with Branch reverted to centre half.

Hall then did well out on the left, although Bryan seemed to think the ball had gone out of play.

The winger’s inch-perfect cross found the head of Jukes, who watched as the ball beat Spencer but ricocheted off the foot of the right upright.

He was well placed to find the net with the rebound though, giving the visitors a third goal in the final minute and rounding up a comfortable win for the Football League outfit.

Vics: Spencer, Aujla, Lawton, Flowers, Flanaghan, Vaughan, Williams, Connor, McAleskley, Ryan, Lee,

Subs: Bryan, Clegg, Beswick, Lowe, Pearson, Branch, Newman, Morrison

Accrington: Dunbavin, Bateson, Winnard, Edwards, Brown, Proctor (C), McConville, Murphy, Lindfield, Putterill, Ryan

Subs: Cisak (GK), Joyce, Parkinson, Riley, Jukes, Boulding, Turner, Hall 

Referee: Darren Handley

Assistants: Jim Dowd, Ian Bonney

Fourth Official: Tom Kirk

Attendance: 164