Sean McConville was unable to convert either of his two penalties as Derby County ran out 3-0 winners at the Wham Stadium.
The Reds were awarded two spot kicks in two minutes, both for fouls on Shaun Whalley, but McConville’s first was saved and his second was inches wide.
The Stanley captain also hit the bar in a lively encounter while County were clinical.
Goalkeeper Toby Savin made his first league start of the season in place of Lukas Jensen while Joe Pritchard and Harvey Rodgers came into the Stanley XI.
Derby started on the attack and opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing burst forward and found William Osula who smashed the ball past Savin.
They could have had a second on 23 minutes when Eiran Cashin had a free header from a corner but he didn’t test Savin.
The woodwork then denied Stanley an equaliser on 26 minutes when Whalley’s ball in from the right found McConville racing in but his fierce shot crashed against the underside of the crossbar and out.
Derby continued to press and the Stanley players threw their bodies in front of a number of goalbound strikes.
Then came a crazy two minutes.
Stanley were awarded a penalty on 36 minutes when Whalley was judged to be tripped by Max Bird.
McConville’s penalty was saved by Joe Wildsmith down to the keeper’s right.
On 38 minutes the Reds were awarded another spot kick when Whalley was brought down by Curtis Davies as he raced forward.
McConville took the penalty the same way but this time it was wide of the post.
Almost from the resulting goalkick, Danish striker Osula got the ball, brought it down and fired beyond Savin for his second on 39 minutes.
Tommy Leigh headed wide moments later as Stanley tried to find a way through before the break.
Savin superbly kept out a James Chester header after the re-start and the keeper denied Lewis Dobbin after County broke quickly.
Bird hit the woodwork with a shot from distance and Osula, sliding in, couldn’t connect with a cross as Derby looked for a third.
Touray Sisay came on for his Stanley debut on 69 minutes after signing in the summer but suffering an injury in pre-season.
He made a nusiance of himself in the County box but the Reds couldn't get a goal back, despite nine minutes of added time.
And it was Derby who had the last say, Tom Barkhuizen tapping home after Savin saved the initial shotin the 98th minute.
A big worry for the Reds was Mo Sangare was stretchered off on 88 minutes, moments after coming on, following a challenge.
Stanley: Savin, Rodgers, Astley, Tharme, Clark (Sangare (Nolan)), McConville, Coyle, Hamilton, Whalley (Sisay), Pritchard, Leigh (Delfouneso)
Subs: Jensen, Martin, Fernandes
Yellow: Tharme
Crowd: 4879 (2624 from Derby)
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