THE Football League has re-opened talks about introducing television replays to help referee's make vital decisions.
But any measures will come too late to save Stanley after they were denied what could be a crucial point in their injury time loss to promotion hopefuls Carlisle.
Rory Prendergast's pin point corner found the head of the towering Jonathan Smith and he was turning to celebrate as United keeper Matty Glendon clawed the ball out from seemingly over the line.
There were loud appeals from the Reds players and behind the goal but nothing was given to the sheer disbelief of manager John Coleman.
"One of their players said it had gone over," said a dejected Smith.
"It was about a yard over," said Prendergast. "I was stood with the assistant referee at the corner flag and had a great view of it. It was blatantly over the line."
And boss Coleman was fuming as he watched his side once more fail to take their chances and then get denied the late levelle against the high-fliers.
"I don't think there is any justice in the world at the moment. We just can't seem to win a game. Even from where I am sitting it looks like the goalkeeper has actually got his fingers in the net," said the Reds chief.
"Everyone on the line is adamant it has gone in, as was Rory who took the corner but I don't think the linesman was keen to give us any decisions."
A bumper crowd of 3024 - just short of the record 3143 against Shrewbury last season - turned up to watch the clash between the promotion rivals.
Coleman had been forced into changes with keeper Paul Crichton suffering from flu and captain Peter Cavanagh injured with Prendergast starting his first game since his hernia operation in place of Steve Flitcroft.
And the Reds chief set his intentions out by starting with Paul Mullin and Lee McEvilly up front together as they looked to claim a big scalp and get their play-off hopes back on track.
Stanley were lively early on through Mullin, Steve Jagielka and Ian Craney.
But the Cumbrians started to find their feet and former Burnley player Kevin Henderson should have done better on 17 minutes when the pacey Craig Farrell got the better of Chris Butler and found Henderson four yards out but he skied his effort.
The tall Hendersen did provide the early threat as he had a 30-yard blast well saved by Danny Alcock and a header which bounced down and over from a Chris Lumsden free kick.
But while he couldn't do damage in front of goal, he did leave his mark on Mike Flynn as the two of them went up for a challenge.
He caught the Stanley defender who fell to the floor clutching his ribs and had to be subbed after the interval with suspected cracked ribs.
Hendersen got a yellow card but Coleman was fuming.
"I think it is an absolute disgrace. Their player came with one intention - to injure our player - and Mike's had to go off injured and he (Henderson) has got a yellow card. Job done. And in effect it has won them the game.
"The referee has booked him and if it is dangerous play, it should be a red. There is no place for a challenge like that in football."
United defender Lee Andrews then threw himself in front of a McEvilly shot before Prendergast came up with something special.
The winger had swapped flanks with Craney after having little luck on the left and it paid off.
Mullin and McEvilly sliced open the Carlisle defence four minutes before the break and found Prendergast on the right who curled the ball into the centre of the goal beyond the outstretched keeper.
"I got the ball and just bent it round," said Prendergast, who was glad to get his first goal of the season.
"I thought it went into the top corner of the net but Jimmy Bell said it went in the centre. I was pleased with the goal. I think I showed visions of what I will do when I get my fitness back."
It was what the Reds needed and if they could just have held on for longer after the break, they would have frustrated the Carlisle players.
However enter veteran hitman Andy Preece at half-time. The former Bury striker always used to score against Burnley and he has now transferred this to Accrington as he changed the game in a 12 minute spell.
He has only been on the pitch four minutes when their top scorer Karl Hawley skimmed past the Reds defence on the left and played in a ball which Preece hooked home with his first touch of the game in front of his side's fans.
But McEvilly could have stunned the visiting supporters immediately as he had a great chance to put the Reds back in front. The frontman got on the end of a Prendergast ball at the far post but he held his head in agony as Glendon pulled off a point blank save.
And once again, the Reds were made to pay when this time Farrell played the ball in and Preece played a low left foot shop past Smith and beyond the diving Alcock to put them ahead on 61 minutes.
The Reds continued to pile on the pressure. Paul Howarth's fierce volley was pushed out by the keeper, McEvilly got on the end of a Mullin flick but fired wide and then there was the dramatic finale.
Smith got on the end of a dangerous Prendergast corner on 85 minutes but the defender's thumping header was scrambled off the line by the keeper - although Stanley felt that had crossed it. That was hard enough to accept but then there was worse to come in injury time when it was deja vu as Smith's header looked inches over the goaline. There were wild appeals that Glendon had dragged the ball back from out of the goal but nothing was given.
"We have had two strong appeals for the ball over the line and how can I criticise a team who has dominated a second half like that and lost the game?" said Coleman.
"We were sloppy for both goals but I can't understand how we can lose the second half 2-0 when we had the chances we did. It is happening every week. We were the better team but you don't win a football match on points - we need goals and we seemed to be cursed at the moment. The ball won't go in the back of the net."
