The two north west rivals shared six goals in a pulsating draw that swung this way and that at the Fraser Eagle Stadium in East Lancashire.
Twenty-one-year-old City striker Chris Holroyd grabbed a timely brace, giving his side the lead after nine minutes and then equalising 12 minutes from time.
Stanley's record £85,000 signing Ian Craney also shone, scoring one and creating the other two.
Although the defending was without a doubt shoddy, it mustn't take away from the quality of some of the goals.
Andrew Proctor volleyed his eighth goal of the season to level the game before the break, but Craney did likewise to gain a 2-1 lead two minutes after the hour.
Then City midfielder Laurence Wilson spectacularly curled his side level just moments later from the left edge of the box.
Home striker Roscoe D'Sane looked to have won Stanley's fifth home league game of the season when he headed home Craney's cross on 75 minutes.
But the last word was left for Holroyd to level again, grabbing his fourth league goal of the campaign.