Manager Leam Richardson has told his Stanley players not to rest on their laurels after earning a much-needed win at Rochdale on Tuesday night.

The Reds’ first win in eight lifted them out of the bottom two on goal difference, but they face another relegation battle at home to Torquay tomorrow.

The Gulls have been struggling since losing manager

Martin Ling to illness in

January, slipping from 13th to within a point of the drop zone.

Just two places separate

Stanley and Torquay, and Richardson has challenged the Reds to earn their first back-to-back league wins since

September.

“We had 13 games left before Tuesday night and we must win a large portion of them,” he said.

“We’ve been having great

performances without winning, we’ve been unlucky, but we needed a win to give us a

springboard into the next game, and the next game.

“But it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t build on it. The

message is ‘great, enjoy the good times, but we must be

conscious that all our focus is now on Torquay’.

“We must put a performance in and it must be a winning

performance. If we progress well and get a back-to-back win it’ll mean everything.”

Ling’s assistant Shaun Taylor initially took charge but despite bringing in ex-Bury and Scunthorpe boss Alan Knill last week to ease the burden, Torquay’s slump has continued. Tuesday’s 2-1 home defeat by Wycombe means the Gulls approach tomorrow’s game on the back of seven straight defeats, losing both since Knill was appointed interim boss last week.

While Torquay’s woes continued in midweek, Stanley enjoyed a welcome boost, and Richardson felt the win was coming.

The Reds’ boss vowed to keep the faith during a run of just one league win in 15, stretching back to November, and Tuesday’s performance showed he was right to remain positive.

“We’ve been comfortable, we just haven’t had that rub of the green,” he said.

“Against Southend, their lad’s hit an absolute worldy with their first chance, and against

Cheltenham we dictated the game throughout. I’ve never really struggled with my belief in the lads on the pitch.

Mark Hughes hobbled off in the 11th minute but Tom Aldred came on for his debut and was imperious in the centre of defence while Lee Molyneux also impressed off the bench, scoring a sensational double before laying on the Reds’ third.

“It was a great reaction from the lads,” said Richardson.

“The message to the lads who aren’t playing is ‘you must look after yourself, you must apply yourself and conduct yourself properly because when it’s your chance you’ll get judged on it’.

“The lads need you to be 110 per cent to go on the pitch and affect the team, and the lads that went on Tuesday night did that.”

Hughes is doubtful with the calf problem he picked up in midweek so Aldred and Molyneux should both come into the starting line-up.