THIS was far from your typical pre-season fare as Stanley and Middlesbrough produced seven goals, some entertaining football and several crunching challenges at the Wham Stadium.

But for the raft of second half substitutions the 1,100 fans inside the ground could have been forgiven for thinking there was more at stake than another pre-season run out, and the celebrations that greeted Ross Sykes’ late winner for the Reds suggested they had enjoyed clinching the victory.

Both sides played their part in a fine game, played with an intensity and a quality you don’t normally expect with fixtures in July.

Having gone behind the Reds roared back in the final 15 minutes of the first half, earning just reward for their pressure.

Middlesbrough showed their own Championship credentials though, pegging John Coleman’s side back after the break, but it was a late show for Stanley who earned another fine pre-season victory, having dispatched Huddersfield Town 3-0 here a week ago.

It was a bright start from the Reds, with Sean McConville and Jordan Clark working a corner short that ended with McConville’s deflected cross behind pushed behind by former Stanley loanee Darren Randolph. McConville’s corner from the other side was then just cleared before Mark Hughes could meet the ball.

Within the first 15 minutes Kayden Jackson, a man in demand this summer, showed his pace to latch on to Clark’s long ball over the top before seeing his shot deflected wide.

It was the visitors who struck first though, Stewart Downing sending a ball into the box which Paddy McNair latched on to and poked home from close range.

Stanley responded well, McConville glancing Callum Johnson’s cross into the hands of Randolph before Jackson’s pace earned the Reds a penalty, with Ryan Shotton diving in as the striker broke into the box.

But the usually reliable Billy Kee fluffed his lines from 12 yards, sending Randolph the wrong way but dragging his spot kick wide of the post.

The Reds turned the game around in the space of three minutes before the break. Jackson’s pace won another corner and when Randolph got caught in no man’s land under McConville’s in-swinger Hughes rose above Ryan Shotton to head home.

Moments later Clark was tripped by Ben Gibson and this time Kee made no mistake, his penalty having too much power for Randolph, who had guessed correctly by going to his right.

It was three for Stanley before the break, having weathered a brief storm of Boro pressure they put together a neat move that ended with Jackson’s low drive from the edge of the box beating Randolph.

The visitors were back in it within 10 minutes of the restart and it was a goal to savour, Jonny Howson finding the top corner with a fierce 25-yard drive that gave Jonny Maxted no chance.

After Coleman had changed his entire midfield just before the hour McNair came close to levelling for Boro only for a fine covering block from Johnson, before Ross Sykes stretched to clear when McNair was waiting for a tap-in at the back post.

The visitors were level just after the hour. The dangerous Traore drove into the area and drilled in a low shot which found the back of the net via the legs of Maxted.

Now it was the visitors who were looking more likely, McNair volleying over before he and Downing got in each other’s way inside the area.

Traore’s quick feet were causing Stanley problems and he shifted the ball onto his right foot 22 yards from goal before drilling a low shot inches wide of Maxted’s far post.

Stanley’s eight changes briefly halted their rhythm but Coleman’s replacements worked their way into the game and won it with two minutes remaining. Sam Finley’s deep cross was headed back across goal by Hughes and bundled over the line by Sykes.

Stanley: Jonny Maxted, Callum Johnson, Mark Hughes (Ross Sykes 46), Ben Richards-Everton, Janoi Donacien (Will Wood 66), Jordan Clark (Piero Mingoia 57), Seamus Conneely (Liam Nolan 57), Scott Brown (Sam Finley 57), Sean McConville (Piero Mingoia 57), Billy Kee (Danny Williams 62), Kayden Jackson (Trialist 46)