GOAL-GETTER John Miles admits that his sub-standard displays almost saw him jettisoned from Accrington Stanley’s team – and is now even more determined to make up for lost time.

The wing trickster tormented and tortured the Exeter defence on Saturday as Stanley took another magnificent march up the League Two table and capped his display with a goal of the very highest quality.

But Miles is honest enough to admit that he is fortunate to be in the team, saying: “After the Gillingham game a couple of weeks ago, I got a real kick up the backside from the gaffer and Jimmy.

“I was so close to being dropped for the Macclesfield game and I think perhaps the fact Macc was my old club was the only thing that kept me in the side. I had a bit to do to make up for that and since then I have knuckled down and been doing pretty well and long may it continue.”

Stanley had a torrid opening against the promotion hopes, who took a fifth-minute lead.

“We started poorly and Exeter got in behind us too easily,” added Miles. “They were at us from the kick-off and could have had a couple more goals so mine was a needed goal for us. And from that point I thought we could go and win the game.”

Miles’ beauty was another goal crafted on the training ground as yet another corner paid fruition for Stanley.

Explained Miles: “The goal was something we had worked on in training and I just ran over to Cav (Peter Cavanagh) and screamed for the ball. He panicked and just passed to me.

“I took it on and put it in with a bit of power but, because it was something from training, the gaffer is claiming all the credit.

“But it is nice for me to score and us go on to win. I think my other goals this season came in a 3-1 and a 5-1 defeat.

“Seriously, though, our performances have not been that bad at all. But it is all about winning games.

“Now we have started doing that and the change in atmosphere showed in the dressing room afterwards.

“It took a good 10 minutes after the game for any of the lads to ask about other results.

“It is a good feeling to be winning games and we want to carry that on until the end of the season.”