STEVE Davis had no hesitation in dedicating the first win of the post-Steve Cotterill era to the former Burnley manager.

The players, regretful that their poor performance and subsequent home defeat to Hull City had ultimately led to a parting of ways, were determined to at least conjure a fitting final farewell.

"It's been a tough week with the gaffer going. It came as a surprise to everyone, and the result was for the gaffer today," said Davis, in his first post-match press conference as caretaker manager.

It remains to be seen, though, what he and those players have done for his own cause.

The parting of Cotterill and Burnley Football Club was akin to a long-term relationship that had hit a crossroads.

Both parties still retained a great affection and respect for each other, but the spark had dimmed, there was something missing, and for that reason they had to go their separate ways.

Breaking up is hard to do. Players, staff and some, if not all, supporters have felt it. But an old love has been rekindled.

Davis was a hero to so many youngsters who delighted in his defensive techniques in a Clarets shirt.

Now, as adults, they are admiring the way he is making tracks into the management side of the game.

"Stevie, Stevie Davis" was the chant that cascaded down the triangular section of the Walkers Stadium allocated to the vocal Burnley fans opposite the dugouts.

A roar then went up as Davis acknowledged them with a wave.

At the time, they were moments away from celebrating a winning start to this new chapter, courtesy of Andy Gray's sweet first-half strike and a second clean sheet in three games.

When Clive Penton blew on his whistle to make the three points official, the Clarets celebrated passionately, before players and staff gathered together in a group huddle in an emotional show of unity yards away from the travelling fans.

Davis has not officially stated whether he wants to be considered for the position on a permanent basis.

Ahead of the game he insisted if this was the only Burnley game he took charge of, it would still make him incredibly proud.

Just over a week after being promoted to assistant manager following the departure of Dave Kevan, Davis may be viewed as too inexperienced an option.

But the way the players worked for him and the noises they have made in support of him before and after Saturday's impressive performance suggest that the board may not need to set their search perimeter too far.

Davis, who made just one change to the starting line-up that had been so disappointing against Hull - with Jon Harley coming in at left back while Stephen Jordan moved to centre half in place of the suspended David Unsworth - had demanded 110 per cent effort and a marked improvement on midweek.

He wasn't to be disappointed.

>From the start Burnley made better use of the ball, that had been delivered in dramatic fashion to mark Remembrance Sunday, with a helicopter landing on the centre spot ahead of kick-off and a Royal Navy Captain handing the matchball over to referee Penton.

It could have ended up in the back of the net not long afterwards, had Gareth McAuley not intercepted Wade Elliott's centre before it had the chance to reach Gray, who was later thwarted by goalkeeper Marton Fulop.

His first touch had let him down as Robbie Blake threaded a delightful ball into the box and Fulop was quick to push it out of harm's way.

Leicester's DJ Campbell was suffering a frustrating start to the game as the defence were quick to snuff out any openings, and it got worse for the striker as he was booked for obstructing a Blake free kick. The Burnley front man whipped it in at the second attempt, the Foxes tried to clear but Graham Alexander sent a firm header back upfield.

It dropped for Elliott, who shielded it from his marker before making a strong angled run to the edge of the box, where he slipped it to Gray to his right. The Clarets' leading scorer peeled away from Patrick Kisnorbo and drilled the ball across Fulop into the bottom left hand corner.

Burnley had not conceded in four previous trips to the Walkers Stadium, and they only looked like extending that run as opportunities for Leicester to draw level were few and far between. The closest they came before the break was when neat passing had got them to the edge of the box, but Matty Fryatt's finish failed to trouble Gabor Kiraly.

Even an enforced change three minutes before the break failed to rock the Burnley boat. Stephen Jordan became another defensive casualty, suffering a recurrence of an ankle injury. The 25-year-old hobbled back on after receiving treatment for four minutes on the sidelines but didn't last long and was replaced by Alan Mahon, with Chris McCann dropping back into defence.

Leicester made all three of their substitutions in the space of five minutes early in the second half to make them more attack-minded. Iain Hume's introduction on the hour was the last throw of the dice, and the wide man was the only one who looked like he might be capable of unlocking Burnley, but Harley had him well marshalled and the Foxes were kept outside of the box on the whole. The only scare was when Hume's outswinging free kick wasn't fully cleared and McAuley shot through a sea of bodies, but Kiraly got down to keep it out.

Lafferty had a chance to put the game beyond doubt at the end of a flowing crossfield move that had involved Elliott and Gray, but he took his low left foot shot too early, and lacked the power to test Fulop.

Ade Akinbiyi, against his former club, then replaced the Northern Ireland international to run at a tiring defence, and his introduction was greeted by a chorus of boos from the home fans that remained after a string of early exits from the stands.

Those jeers got louder at the final whistle, and were re-directed to their own.

But there was plenty of cheer in the Clarets camp.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Davis. "It couldn't have gone any better.

"I just wanted them to relax and play football and express themselves, and I think we did that. We could have hit them on the break in the second half a couple of times. But obviously we're delighted with the clean sheet and delighted with the victory.

"The lads have done us proud today, and the club."