BEN Garratt proved to be Albion's penalty shoot-out hero saving Accrington's first two spot-kicks allowing Neal Eardley to stroke home the winning penalty to send the Brewers through to the second round of the Carabao Cup after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Lucas Akins had given Albion a 32nd minute lead which Albion should really have added to but paid the price for not taking chances when Cameron Burgess netted for the visitors with just eight minutes remaining.
Garratt saved from Joey Pritchard and Matt Butcher with Akins, Kane Hemmings, Stephen Quinn and Eardley all confidently firing home.
The new Brewers boss handed out four starting debuts for the season opener against Stanley. Lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation Eardley made his first start in a Brewers shirt at right back, Kieran Wallace dropping in on the left hand side and John Brayford lining up alongside John-Joe O'Toole in the centre of defence. Fellow newcomer Michael Bostwick was given a holding midfield role allowing Quinn and Joe Powell to push forwards in support of debutants Hemmings and Charles Vernam who formed the attacking trio alongside Lucas Akins.
And it was Vernam who had the first shot in anger after five minutes taking advantage of some space in front of him to stride forwards and drill a low effort just wide of the upright. The former Derby youngster also set his sights on a piledriver from range a couple of minutes later, Stanley skipper Ross Sykes getting in the way of it on the edge of the box.
Accrington began to feel their way into the game and their first real chance came on 19 minutes as they were allowed to push forwards through the middle inviting Joey Pritchard to send a dipping effort just over the bar before Akins tried a similar thing with a rising shot that only just missed the target.
And AKins was the man on the spot on 28 minutes when keeper Toby Savin could only parry out a dangerous Eardley cross, the Albion man crowded out from getting a decent shot in before Powell lashed wide on his right foot.
The wait for the first goal of the Buxton era was over on 32 minutes as Powell found AKINS on the edge of the box and the striker cleverly used a defender as a screen to curl a superb effort beyond the reach of Savin into the far corner.
Akins then combined with Hemmings as Stanley found themselves short of numbers at the back but this time his effort was wide with time to pick his spot.
Ben Garratt showed safe hands to deal with a couple of dangerous Stanley crosses but it was Albion who finished the half on top, Powell's wickedly curling free kick from the right deflecting just wide just as referee Andy Haines blew his whistle to bring an encouraging 45 minutes to a close.
Half-time: Burton Albion 1-0 Accrington Stanley
Stanley were offered a quick chance to get back on level terms just a couple of minutes after the restart when Brayford was harshly adjudged to have fouled Ryan Cassidy but Pritchard failed to test Garratt from the set piece.
Albion were then denied a second goal after excellent work from Vernam down the left created a chance for Quinn who had to watch as Cameron Burgess hacked his goalbound effort away from almost on the line.
A raking ball out to the right from Quinn on the hour mark freed Eardley to burst into the box and his centre would have been turned home by Hemmings but for a smart save at his near post by Savin.
Brayford was next to go close hooking a Powell corner over the top from ten yards out as Albion exerted more pressure.
Midway through the second half Albion were forced into a change when Vernam limped off after a challenge allowing Steven Lawless to make his Brewers debut from the bench.
Savin had to be alert again with fifteen to play when Akins tried to pick out Hemmings in the box and the striker's glancing header forced the young keeper into a save low to his right.
But Stanley grabbed a late equaliser on 82 minutes when a deep cross from the right fell perfectly for BURGESS to sweep home.
Albion were inches away from a winner as the game entered added-on time when Lawless found Powell in the box and only an excellent stop by Savin denied the former West Ham man taking the match to spot-kicks.