Pompey made a welcome return to winning ways with what was eventually a comfortable victory at Accrington.

Joe Pigott gave them an early lead straight after the hosts had seen keeper Lukas Jensen sent off for bringing down Paddy Lane.

Reeco Hackett doubled the advantage after the break and although Pigott was also dismissed, Colby Bishop soon made sure of the points.

Stanley substitute Korede Adedoyin did find the back of the net late on, but it proved no more than a consolation.

John Mousinho made two changes from the side narrowly beaten by Sheffield Wednesday on home soil at the weekend.

Louis Thompson and Hackett were both restored to the starting line-up, with Ryan Tunnicliffe and Owen Dale dropping to the bench.

The game started amidst heavy snow that had been falling throughout the warm-ups and made visibility tough.

But it soon began to ease and the visitors were enjoying plenty of possession in the contest’s opening stages.

And they were handed with an early advantage when Jensen came charging from his box to try to reach a long Matt Macey kick.

Lane got to the ball first, however, and was tripped by the keeper, who earned a red card from referee David Rock.

The keeper was understandably furious given that it was his first game back in the side following a sending off at Ipswich last week, with Toby Savin taking over between the sticks.

John Coleman was also displeased by the decision and berated the fourth official, with his mood soon worsening.

The resulting free-kick was worked out to Lane on the right and his left-footed delivery was deftly headed home by PIGOTT.

Rather than deflate the hosts, though, falling behind only served to spur them on and they caused Pompey problems for the remainder of the half.

But despite some dangerous moments, Stanley were unable to find their way through a defence that was being well marshalled by Sean Raggett.

Pompey were guilty of some sloppy play, although had a chance to double their advantage late in the half.

Bishop did well to hold the ball up inside the box and flick it over his head towards Hackett, only for Baba Fernandes to make a vital interception.

The physios were then called onto the pitch – not to treat any players, but to deal with a collision between Coleman and one of the assistants.

Accrington’s best chance of the half arrived in stoppage-time when Doug Tharme was found in the box and the defender lifted a shot against the bar.

Half Time: Accrington 0 Pompey 1

There was not much to excite a shivering crowd once the action restarted, with the sides exchanging bookings.

But the away end certainly had something to celebrate just before the hour mark after doubling their lead.

Joe Rafferty sent the ball in from the right and it was laid off by Raggett for HACKETT to slam into the roof of the net from the edge of the box.

It might have got even better moments later when Hackett sends the ball across the face of goal, but a sliding Bishop could not quite there to convert.

And they were dealt a blow when Rock evened up the numbers in controversial fashion on 66 minutes.

Pigott took a heavy touch as he tried to collect Lane’s pass and certainly caught Savin, but there was shock from the striker when a red card was shown.

Mousinho soon made a change to freshen up his forward line, with Lane the man to make way for Dale.

And Tunnicliffe then emerged from the bench to replace the lively Joe Morrell, perhaps with Saturday in mind.

Pompey were looking fairly comfortable, only for Stanley to wipe away any feelings of complacency with two excellent chances in quick succession.

The first fell to Tharme once more and his close-range header was well saved by Macey, down to the keeper’s left.

And when a corner was whipped into the box soon after, the ball was nodded against the underside of the bar by substitute Matt Lowe.

The points were effectively wrapped on 81 minutes, though, with BISHOP rewarded for a piece of unselfish play.

He squared the ball for Hackett, whose shot was parried away by Savin, straight to the former Accrington striker to lash home.

Bishop was then one of three men to head for the bench, as he, Rafferty and Thompson were replaced by Dane Scarlett, Di’Shon Bernard and Michael Jacobs.

The one downside for the visitors came late on, when Adedoyin met Sean McConville’s cross and his header looped into the net.

They almost hit back with a fourth goal in stoppage-time, but Dale’s curler was pushed around the post by Savin.

Accrington (3-4-1-2): Jensen; Rodgers, Tharme, Sangare (Fernandes 22); Clark, Conneely (c) (Lowe 58), Martin (Savin 12), McConville; Leigh; Whalley, Pressley (Adedoyin 58)
Goals: Adedoyin 88
Sent off: Jensen
Booked: Rodgers, Fernandes, Leigh
Subs not used: Nottingham, Nolan, Butler-Oyedeji

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Macey; Rafferty (Bernard 84), Raggett (c), Towler, Ogilvie; Thompson (Jacobs 84), Morrell (Tunnicliffe 75); Lane (Dale 70), Pigott, Hackett; Bishop (Scarlett 84)
Goals: Pigott 13, Hackett 57, Bishop 81
Sent off: Pigott
Booked: Morrell, Scarlett
Subs not used: Oluwayemi, Lowery

Referee: David Rock

Attendance: 2,473 (603 Pompey fans)