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Shots fire blanks in curtain raiser

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A GOALLESS draw against Aldershot Town in the opening game of the 2010/11 npower League Two season was all that Accrington Stanley could manage in a dull curtain raiser.

Reds manager John Coleman included eight of his nine summer captures in his squad for the game and handed five of those a full debut at the Crown Ground.

Striker Craig Lindfield was the only player to miss out, as the former Liverpool and Macclesfield front man nursed an injury that he sustained in a Pre-Season training session.

Stanley lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with John Bateson and Sean Hessey joining Phil Edwards and Dean Winnard in the Reds’ back four, while Charlie Barnett joined skipper Andy Procter in a defensive midfield role, with Ray Putterill playing in a more advanced role. Rory Boulding was deployed as the lone striker.

Coleman’s men almost got off to a dream start when Sean McConville came close to giving Stanley an early lead.

The youngster took advantage of a shooting opportunity and struck a thunderous effort towards the Aldershot goal, only for Shots’ stopper Jamie Young to tip the effort over the crossbar.

Young was kept busy in the early stages, this time with Ireland Under 21s international Jimmy Ryan trying an audacious chip shot, which almost caught the keeper out, but he kept his eye on the ball and managed to claw it behind for another corner kick.

Stanley dominated early proceedings, but as the half wore on, Stanley started to fade and the visitors became a little more involved.

Luke Guttridge had the chance to shoot the Shots into the lead, but scuffed his effort into the side of Ian Dunbavin’s net.

Dunbavin was called into action shortly after though as Marvin Morgan went through one on one after a great defence splitting ball by Ben Harding, but the former Halifax Town stopper was equal to it and ensured that the Reds went into the brake goalless.

Shortly after the restart, Morgan fired into the side-netting after Phil Edwards slipped on the rain soaked playing surface presenting the front man with a sight of goal.

Ryan and Barnett came close, but as the chances dried up, the East Lancashire weather didn’t and a mistake filled final period came to a close with the game finished how it started, goalless.

Accrington should really be taking the three points that they deserved, but just the single will suit the Reds, as it gives the team a platform to build on.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY: Ian Dunbavin; Jon Bateson, Phil Edwards, Sean Hessey, Dean Winnard; Charlie Barnett, Andy Procter; Sean McConville (Andy Parkinson 68), Jimmy Ryan, Ray Putterill; Rory Boulding (Chris Turner 90).

ubs not used: Alex Cisak, Zak Riley, Michael Hall, Peter Murphy, Luke Joyce.

ALDERSHOT TOWN: Jamie Young, Ben Herd, Darren Jones, Anthony Charles, Jamie Vincent, Ben Harding, Manny Panther, Luke Guttridge, Glen Little (Wade Small 84), Anthony Straker, Marvin Morgan.

ubs not used: Jordan Clement, Aaron Morris, Clayton Fortune, Jermaine McGlashan, Danny Hylton, Damien Spencer.

Referee: Jock Waugh (South Yorkshire).

Attendance: 1,624.

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