Stanley suffered a third successive league defeat as they lost to Southend United.
The Reds had plenty of chances but it was the relegation-threatened Shrimpers who took theirs and chalked up only their second league win of the season.
Sol Campbell’s side opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Sam Finley’s backpass fell to striker Tom Hopper on the edge of the area. He squared the ball to Charlie Kelman who rifled the ball into the back of the net.
Stanley tried to get back into it immediately and Joe Pritchard’s 20-yard drive forced keeper Mark Oxley into action.
Hopper broke forward with Joe Bursik diving low to deny him while Jordan Clark worked himself into a good position for the Reds, found Pritchard whose strike was cleared off the line by Stephen McLaughlin.
Stanley equalised on 17 minutes when Finley’s ball into the far post was met with a thumping header from Mark Hughes which Dion Charles helped into the back of the net.
Finley had a great chance to put the Reds ahead after Clark passed to him in the area but outrushing Oxley did superbly well to deny him.
Colby Bishop headed over and Ross Sykes did as well as the Reds piled on the pressure.
Biship missed another gilt edged chance when Clark played him in while Pritchard fired just wide minutes later.
Hopper could have put the Shrimpers back ahead in the 34rd minute but his diving header was just wide and, in an end-to-end half, Oxley was quick off his line to stop Charles racing clean through.
A goalbound close-range flick by Bishop was cleared by Oxley on the goalline while, on the stroke of half-time, Pritchard’s ball skimmed across the area and inches wide.
Southend won a penalty on 51 minutes when Pritchard was judged to have clipped Brandon Goodship in the area and Jason Demetriou fired home the spot kick.
Stanley kept pressing, Finley firing over and Pritchard was denied at the near post by Oxley.
Midfielder Finley thought he had equalised on 74 minutes with a fierce 20 yard shot which was inches from the top corner.
However Southend were a danger and Joe Bursik kept out a Sam Barratt strike when he was clean through, the Stanley keeper pushed out the follow-up from distance and also dived low to keep out a free kick from sub Barratt.
Goalscorer Charles rifled an effort over eight minutes from time as Stanley were urged on by the crowd but they just couldn’t find a way through.