Wes Fletcher showed why he has been chased by John Coleman for quite a while.

The Stanley boss made the Burnley striker his number one target in recent weeks and the 20-year-old repaid the faith by firing the Reds to their first win of the league season.

Stanley needed a boost after an indifferent show against Southend on Saturday where, even at this early stage of the season, there were worries about how the new-look squad would cope.

But they answered any critics, including the boss, in stunning style with a solid show and a win, sending big-spending Bradford away from the Crown Ground empty handed for the third year running.

Coleman had to make some big decisions – which included dropping Ian Craney and Craig Lindfield to the bench and bringing back Sean Hessey into defence.

And, after a successful season with the 4-2-3-1 formation, he plumped for 4-4-2 with Fletcher and Kurtis Guthrie leading the line.

And Coleman admitted he was delighted the way his players reacted following criticism on Saturday.

"There have been a lot of harsh words said since Southend. We let ourselves down on Saturday and there is no getting away from that.

"The first thing we had to do was put that right, whatever the result, and I think we did get our pride back by the way we performed, not only football-wise but in the effort we put in, the determination we showed and the passion we showed.

"That in turn lifted the crowd, who I thought were magnificent, and they responded to the players, who they must have felt let down by on Saturday.

"It is hard as the players are only young and could go under as you can only use a stick so many times and it is a tricky position.

"A lot of it is pyschological and you have got to gauge the players and their mood and how they react to things – I think that’s the art of management.

"I have always said the first rule of management is knowing your players and I think I have a good insight into most of the players at the club."

He certainly had a good insight into Fletcher as he said he had a feeling all day that the new boy, only signed on a month’s loan on Monday, was going to score.

"I just knew he would get a goal. Sometimes you just get a feeling and I felt he would.

"He was a livewire in training on Monday and he will get even better when he gets used to this league and the pace of the game. He is a talented footballer and an intelligent player and he is prepared to work hard – with those attributes he will go far."

The same could be said of fellow Burnley loanee Kevin¿Long who was good at shutting up shop at the back as Fletcher was up front.

"Kevin is fast becoming the real deal," said Coleman, as he admitted it was a mixture of jubiliation and relief as the Reds finally got their first win of the campaign.

Fletcher linked up well with Kurtis Guthrie and looked a threat from the off – turning and forcing a good save out of keeper Martin Hansen and hitting the crossbar from an angle.

Luke Joyce, usually in a defensive midfield role, seemed to relish the chance to go forward and he also stung Hansen’s hands as well as firing narrowly over.

Hessey was strong in defence alongside Long with Peter Murphy also slotting in at right back and they stopped the Bradford frontline having one shot on target throughout the whole game – and the Bantams are tipped by some to get into the promotion frame this season after six years of trying.

The only time they tested the Reds was with runs down the wing from Michael Flynn and Jack Compton who played decent balls into the area but no one could capitalise and the Reds thwarted any other danger.

Stanley’s widemen Nat Taylor, who was suffering from a dead leg, and Charlie Barnett made sure they were a threat as the side had so much more about them than they did on Saturday.

And even though Craney and Lindfield were dropped to the bench, neither let their heads drop, and when they came on, they made sure they had an impact in the game and showed a hunger to get back into the starting line-up.

Fletcher’s goal came from pure persistence as he got the ball, whisked past Guy¿Branston – named in the League Two Team of the Year last season – and slotted the ball past the outrushing Hanson and it rolled into the back of the net.

Bradford boss Peter Jackson said it was always going to be one goal that settled it and he was frustrated a lapse in concentration had cost his side.

But Coleman admitted, win, lose or draw this was a Stanley performance he enjoyed.

"There is not too many times you will see an Accrington Stanley side under me and Jimmy lacking in the area we pride ourselves on – passion – and I think it will be a long time before you see it again.

"The players restored their own pride and they were out to prove a point to themselves let alone anyone else and they did."