STANLEY 0

HUDDERSFIELD 1

Tom Ince 56

TOM Ince prodded in a debut goal for Huddersfield Town as Stanley were denied a draw in their opening pre-season encounter.

The £10million striker netted in the 56th minute to hand David Wagner’s side a narrow victory, but Reds boss John Coleman will have been pleased with what he saw from his charges on a sunny evening at the Wham Stadium.

He handed starts to three trialists – leaving new signings Liam Nolan, Erico Sousa and Mekhi McLeod on the bench – while the Premier League new boys fielded two completely different teams in either half.

And it was the side heading for the big time that had the first sight of goal, Joe Lolley giving Aaron Chapman a simple save.

They then took the direct route as goalkeeper Jonas Lossl cleared to Steve Mounie who outpaced the Stanley defence but put his lob wide.

Sean McConville has a sighter in the 16th minute and got the Reds’ first effort on target when he broke from midfield, but his shot was straight at Lossl.

He then curled in an inviting free-kick that Matty Pearson headed back across goal, only to find a Town defender.

Huddersfield had lost their early spark and Billy Kee almost latched on to a weak back pass, catching Lossl as he just lost the race for the ball.

Then came the best move of the half, Seamus Conneely and Jordan Clark combining down the right to send in a cross that was cleared straight to McConville. He fed his skipper who lofted a beautiful pass to Janoi Donacien that the defender lashed over.

Danny Williams volleyed wide as Wagner’s men responded, but Stanley threatened once more when a McConville free-kick found the tall midfield trialist who nodded the wrong side of the post.

Coleman made five changes at the break and it was one of the replacements who should have put the hosts in front. Unfortunately, Omar Beckles headed into the ground when left unmarked.

Wagner had thrown on some big guns too, and Nakhi Wells unleashed a thunderbolt that almost caught Chapman, by now squinting into the dipping sun, out.

Ince took just over 10 minutes to make his mark as he poked home at the second time of asking, Chapman seeing the ball squirm through his grasp.

Jonny Edwards drew an excellent save from Joel Coleman after the speedy forward trialist had muscled his way down the left and cut back an inviting cross.

The subs were having an impact and Rommy Boco’s firm cross looked set to give Edwards an unmissable chance, only for Harry Bunn to get his head in the way.

Ince tested Chapman with a late free-kick that the Reds keeper palmed over his crossbar, and then kept out a Wells effort.

Promising signs for Stanley then, but not an opening win that would have sent the home fans home really happy.

STANLEY: Chapman, Pearson (Ogle, 76), Donacien, Hughes (Beckles, 46), Trialist (Sykes, 84), Conneely (Nolan, 46), Clark (Sousa, 71), Trialist (Brown, 46), Kee (Edwards, 46), Trialist (Boco, 71), McConville (McLeod, 46)

Subs not used: Mohammed, Brown, Wolland.

HUDDERSFIELD: Lossl (Coleman, 46), Malone (Whitehead, 46), Scannell (Hudson, 46 – Palmer, 74), Billing (Hogg, 46), Kachunga (Bunn, 46), Payne (Cranie, 46), Lolley (Lowe, 46), Williams (van La Parra, 46), Mounie (Depoitre, 46), Jorgensen (Wells, 46), Schindler (Ince, 46)

Sub not used: Schofield