PAUL Mullin had volunteered to be the Stanley penalty taker this season hoping to add to his goals scored tally.

But the striker made a quick decision to step down after his first half spot kick was saved - and league leaders Exeter went on to punish the Reds.

Mullin did make up for it by opening his account for the season in the second half but manager John Coleman was upset his side had thrown the chance of three vital points away.

"We shouldn't have lost that game. We scored a great goal, missed a penalty should have had another one but two lapses of concentration have cost us," said the boss.

"Robbie Williams was at fault for both goals and he is devastated but he and the team have got to bounce back."

After losing at Cambridge the previous Saturday, the visit of pacesetters Exeter, with their 100 per cent record, was always going to be a tough task.

But, as Barnet and Stevenage found out last year, Stanley usually perform better against the top sides and optimism was high that the Reds would come good.

Coleman had changed the team around with debutant Darren Randolph in goal, on loan from Charlton, and Mike Flynn and Andy Mangan returned to the starting eleven.

And it looked like Stanley would overrun City as they struggled to contain Mullin.

He had four good chances in the early stages where he outmuscled the Exeter defence but couldn't find the target although two fierce shots were just inches wide.

The one time he did was when Gary Roberts was felled in the area for the second time. On eight minutes, the ref had waved away any appeals but, on 35 minutes, he immediately pointed to the spot after a Glenn Cronin challenge on the tricky winger.

Mullin had last taken a competitive penalty against Bedlington Terriers - and missed- but, after deciding pre season to try his luck again with spot kicks, he had converted against Wigan.

And the crowd were confident the hitman would tuck this one away but keeper Paul Jones guessed the right way and pushed the ball out with Roberts blasting over the follow-up.

Exeter had offered little by way of attack with Randolph having a relatively quiet life in his first game.

A half-time team talk on the pitch seemed to work for the Reds and David Brown was desperately unlucky on 55 minutes when his 20 yard shot was one handedly pushed away by the in-form Jones.

But the City keeper could not stop the next attack as Mangan fed Roberts who did well to keep the ball in at the by-line and get in an inch perfect cross which Mullin whalloped home at the near post to atone for the earlier penalty miss.

It was the first goal Exeter had conceded in the league this season and Mangan almost made it two when he charged passed Chris Todd but the teenager's effort was straight at Jones.

Stanley fans were still catching their breath when a Jones goal kick caught out Williams and sub Craig Watkins, who Exeter had signed the day before, nipped in to head over Randolph for the equaliser.

The Reds were shell-shocked but the Accrington goalie's next job, just three minutes later, was again to pick the ball out of the net when a set piece - like last season - caught out the Reds.

A Billy Jones corner was headed home by Todd - who Williams was meant to be marking - and Randolph had to pull off a stunning save at the end to deny Watkins a dream debut.

"We played well," said a frustrated Coleman. "But did not take our chances and then gave them two sloppy goals.

"For me, despite the penalty, Paul Mullin was head and shoulder the man of the match and if he plays like that between now and the end of the season, I will be happy.

"It is just so frustraing though. They are top of the league. Are they a better team than us. I think not?"