Goals either side of half time from George Donnelly and Mansour Assoumani gave Stockport County their first win since February.
Emile Sinclair's penalty miss was just one of a string of squandered chances for the Silkmen in the second half as the dismal start to the season continued.
James Vincent underlined County's early intentions, smashing a half volley wide inside the first 30 seconds and then journeyman striker Barry Conlon forced Jose Veiga into action with a low curling effort which the keeper had to tip around the post.
Donnelly's snapshot was well held by Veiga on 12 minutes after another Hatters attack took them to the edge of the area and for most of the opening period the hosts struggled to see much of the ball.
The Silkmen's first attack came in the 14th minute - Colin Daniel's deep cross was missed by Tyrone Barnett and Matt Hamshaw sliding in at the back post just couldn't reach it.
Daniel then should have scored himself with the Macc's best chance of the half, charging onto a loose ball, nodding it down for himself and surging past the final defender before dragging his left footed effort horribly wide as the keeper came out to meet him.
Ross Draper became the first man in the book just before the half hour with a late challenge on Paul Turnbull on the halfway line.
Daniel saw his shot from the edge of the area blocked in the six yard box and at the other end Greg Tansey drilled a speculative 25 yard drive wide.
Barnett headed Sinclair's cross over the bar after determined work by Nat Brown brought the ball out of defence before the Hatters went in front just seconds before the interval.
Good skill on the touchline allowed Donnelly to cut inside from the touchline and shoot low into the bottom corner, although Veiga will have been disappointed as it looked as if he should have kept out the 20 yard effort.
Macc came out brightly after the break and won a penalty just five minutes into the second half when Daniel was barged over in the box by Assoumani.
However debutant keeper Matt Glennon easily saved Emile Sinclair's poor penalty to the delight of the travelling fans behind his goal.
In the following minutes Macc still pushed forward and created more chances with Barnett's volley blocked by former Silkman Danny Swailes and Nat Brown thumped a far post header just wide when he connected with Hamshaw's corner.
Sinclair dragged another great chance well wide when his pace took him in behind the County defence and one on one with the keeper, which was to repeat itself throughout the second period as the home strikers just couldn't hit the target.
Against the run of play the Hatters doubled their lead on 59 minutes when Assoumani controlled a cross into the near post and held off his man before turning and firing past Veiga at the near post for the French defender's first goal for County.
Hamshaw slipped a good ball through into Barnett's path and after racing past Swailes he shot wide before minutes later he was played through again but from an almost identical position this time blasted wide at the near post.
Macc had most of the possession for the whole half and had Stockport pegged back but though they were creating chances, struggled to test Glennon enough.
Vinny Mukendi and Hamza Bencherif came on to try and get Macc back into the game but Mukendi's only chance came three minutes before time when he headed well over from a Hamshaw corner.
Matt Mainwaring chested Paul Morgan's header off the line in stoppage time but by then there was no chance of a comeback and Gary Simpson will have been left wondering how his side managed not to make more of all their chances as they left the field to boos from the terraces.
Andy Brinkhurst
