John Coleman was a happy man after seeing his Stanley side hold on for a big pre-season win against Marseille.

Sean McConville and Offrande Zanzala, from the penalty spot, scored in eight first-half minutes with French international Florian Thauvin pulling a goal back late on for the French giants.

Despite Dimitri Payet leading a cast of big names for Andre Villas-Boas’ side, Coleman saw his men make sure of a 2-1 victory at the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford.

“It was a good game and they played some terrific football in the first half,” he said.

“After the first five minutes I thought it was going to be a long night when one of their lads has turned and sent five of our lads to the Trafford Centre!

“The lads were laughing about that one at half-time but we stuck to our guns and eventually we warmed into the game and scored a great goal and then got the penalty.

“We were on the front foot and in the second half the changes disjointed the game and we had to see it out.  

“Thankfully we had enough in our locker to defend stoically at the end.”

The Stanley boss was pleased to see his side win for the first time in pre-season after the 1-0 defeat to Sligo Rovers on Monday night and it is a habit he is keen for them to keep ahead of the new League One season.

“Let’s get it straight, Marseille have used this as a training exercise and to a certain extent so are we,” Coleman said.

“Our lads have got a lot of fitness out of it.

“But I sat the players down on the first day of pre-season and told them from now until May whether it’s a game of five-a-side, a game of head tennis, a one-on-one, a challenge in training – do it to win.

“We lost 1-0 to Sligo and the lads got the hairdryer treatment after the game.

“Possibly a few of the new lads were a bit taken aback. They say results don’t matter in pre-season and you don’t get any points for them but in the grand scheme of things it builds a desire to win and a habit of winning.

“Without that you shouldn’t be playing football – everything you do, do to win.”

Coleman fielded a number of triallists in the game and is hoping to add to his squad sooner rather than later.

Bolton midfielder Joe Pritchard is the only new face thus far this summer.

“I’m hoping to sign two or three in the next week and I think they’ll be good additions to the squad,” Coleman said.