JOSH Windass cut a delighted figure after he scored twice in a game for the first time in his career to fire Accrington Stanley into the League Two play-off positions on Saturday.

The highly-rated young midfielder’s previous eight goals for the Reds had been single strikes, with his two previous efforts this season coming from the penalty spot.

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But Windass struck twice from open play in the space of one first-half minute to set Stanley on their way to a 4-2 home win over Exeter City which has left them sixth going into this Saturday’s trip to Crawley Town.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever done it and (assistant manager) Jimmy Bell was shouting at me to score again and I thought to myself that it’s not that easy,” said Windass, who is now the Reds’ four-goal top scorer.

“I could have had a hat-trick in the second half when I took it past the guy and he brought me down and I missed from the free-kick.

“It’s a nice little achievement for me. I’d love to score a hat-trick but it really isn’t as easy as it sounds.

“We’re in sixth now and that’s thanks to three points at the end of the day.”

Windass opened the scoring on Saturday when he put a finishing touch to a flowing move with his second goal coming less than 60 seconds later after a horrible mistake from the Exeter goalkeeper.

“Me and Crooksy were watching the Football League highlights last week and someone scored the luckiest goal ever and we were on the sofa asking if there was any chance we could score one like that,” Windass told Stanley’s official website.

“We were laughing after I scored it but I’ll take those all day long.

“I don’t know what the keeper was doing but it was a second goal so I’m happy.

“It’s a bit of a monkey off my back to be honest because I hadn’t scored from open play so it was nice to do that and be top goalscorer.”

Windass now has four goals for the campaign and will be looking to add to that number when Stanley travel to a Crawley side who have won just one of their seven league matches so far this season.