Rommy Boco admitted the Reds needed that win on Saturday – no matter what happens in the future.

The Benin international came back to Stanley in August, largely persuaded by the fact his former Sligo boss Paul Cook was the manager.

However he is now backing Leam Richardson for the job full-time and was proud to be part of a winning team in the caretaker manager’s second spell in charge of the Reds.

It stopped the rot after four straight defeats for the Reds but more importantly it got the confidence back for the rest of the season minus Cook, following his departure the previous Thursday to become manager of Chesterfield.

"It has been a strange week," admitted Boco. "We never expected Paul Cook to go but that’s football – it happens.

"We had lost four on the run and this was important for us to get back to winning ways.

"We wanted to win for Leam as well. He has been at the club for years and it was easy for him to become manager and most of the players want him to be manager. He deserves his chance.

"I did come back largely for Paul Cook because he knows how I play and knows how to get the best out of me and how to get my confidence up.

"I like to play with freedom and that’s when I am at my best.

"But football managers move on – sometimes they can get sacked, sometimes they choose to and the players do not stop playing because of this."

Boco was at the centre of the winning goal 11 minutes from time when captain Luke Joyce went on a crossfield run and passed to Boco on the left.¿He played the ball in perfectly for Padraig Amond to get in front of his marker for his seventh goal of the season.

"I am just pleased we won," added Boco. "I crossed for Podge – now I wish someone would cross for me to score!"

Stanley deserved the win as they created by far the better of the chances against the struggling Pirates, with Peter Murphy, Amond, Will Hatfield and Boco all guilty of missing decent chances for the Reds. They also found Rovers’ Philippine international goalkeeper Neil Etheridge in fine form and it did seem like it would be one of those days where it would peter out into a draw – or even that Rovers would snatch it, like York did, despite the Reds’ pressure.

Not that Bristol manager Mark McGhee thought so as he predicted the Stanley goal.

"My team were well beaten and, on the sidelines, it was almost inevitable that Accrington would score. They had enthusiasm and hunger which we didn’t."

Richardson demanded that from his players as he took charge as caretaker at the Crown Ground for the second time.

The last time, when John Coleman left in January, he guided his side to a 4-3 win over Gillingham.

"It’s a great learning curve for me, a great experience to be manager," said the 32-year-old.

"I am just made up for the lads as they gave their all and have been really supportive.

"It’s not down to me, it’s down to the group of players and the club and everyone connected with Accrington.

"It is disappointing when you lose a manager but I have learnt a lot from Paul Cook in the last nine months.

"Our loss is Chesterfield’s gain but people do move on in football. Once the gaffer left it was all about this match and getting three points and being professional.

"We bossed the game and had them on the back foot and I don’t think they can argue with the result.

"Podge scores goals – that’s what he does – I had a word with him at half-time and I don’t know whether it came off his legs or bum – but who cares?

"Bavs (Ian Dunbavin) deserved his clean sheet as well.

"He has been man-of-the-match the last few games and we haven’t won so I am just glad he wasn’t man-of-the-match again.

"We haven’t kept a clean sheet in six games and it was something we talked about before the game so I am happy the whole squad stuck together."

Dunbavin didn’t have much to do but he pulled off a vital save with virtually the last kick of the game to stop Gary Kenneth scoring an equaliser that Rovers really didn’t deserve.

Richardson stuck with the same starting XI that lost to York in Cook’s last game in charge, although new signing Osayamen Osawe, signed on loan from Blackburn Rovers, did come off the bench to make an impression.

Choruses of ‘Leam Richardson’s red and white army’ showed who the fans want as their new boss and the players showed too that they will play for Richardson – and win.

They tested struggling Rovers from the off and, as McGhee admitted, it could have been three or four but for his goalkeeper.

While the talking point of the game was Richardson being in charge, the win was vital after four straight defeats and 12 goals conceded to get Stanley back on track in their League Two campaign.

Richardson, at Stanley since 2005, admitted he was slightly choked by the fans singing his name.

He said: "The supporters have been fantastic every since I joined the club, when I was a player, through injuries and when I have stepped up due to managerial changes.

" I have loved every minute of it here and still am."