ACCRINGTON Stanley chief executive Rob Heys has laughed off rumours that the Reds are set to play their Carling Cup tie with Scunthorpe United at Turf Moor and says the Crown Ground pitch will be ready on time.

The Reds were forced to switch their pre-season clash with Blackburn Rovers to Morecambe’s Globe Arena earlier this month to avoid damaging the surface.

Over the close season they have spent £30,000 on the second stage of work on the playing surface and are keen to avoid the problems that blighted it during 2010/11, when the season started with the pitch not fully ready.

And there were suggestions that the tie with Scunthorpe on August 9 would be moved away from the Crown to the home of Burnley.

But Heys said: “That’s the first I have heard of it.

“We are on course and are planning to play at youth team game on there on the Friday before the season just to get people into the swing.

“The pitch is not a million miles away from being ready and it will certainly be right for the Scunthorpe game.”