ACCRINGTON Stanley play their third pre-season game in a week when they travel to Bootle tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

The Reds, who kicked off their preparations at home to Burnley last weekend before fielding a number of trialists at Alsager in a fundraising friendly in midweek, are seeking their first win.

But manager John Coleman has stressed that, while a win would be welcome, improving the players' match fitness and assessing his options for their League Two campaign are more important at this stage.

"It is a learning curve at the moment but we will keep improving," he said.

Reflecting on last weekend's 3-2 defeat at home to the Clarets, after leading 2-0 at half-time, he added: "If you look at it as two 45-minute games, we won the first and Burnley won the second."

Stanley have welcomed a host of trialists to the club this summer, and they are expected to feature strongly in tomorrow's line-up.

Former Stoke City youth goalkeeper Aaron Ratchford got his second outing on Wednesday night after playing in the second half against Burnley, while former Blackburn Rovers Academy midfielder Joel Byrom and ex-Burnley youth player Nicky Platt were also given a run-out.

"Most of the trialists have done well," said Coleman. "There have been a lot of positives."