IAN Craney insists he doesn't mind who gets on the scoresheet, as long as Accrington Stanley win.

But there is one game in which he would love to add to his tally - live on Sky Sports against Exeter City tonight.

"I haven't scored on television so I'll need to put a show on for the cameras!" quipped Craney, who has already hit double figures for the season with 17 games to go.

"I always feel that I will score goals. I'll probably hope to get about 15 for the season. But I'm just happy to win games. Goals will come."

And Craney knows wins, and goals, won't come much bigger than at St James Park tonight.

Stanley are eight points clear of second placed Exeter with a game in hand but a win tonight and three points from their game in hand could give John Coleman's men a cushion that their rivals will find difficult to peg back.

However, Craney knows they must curb any jitters if they are to achieve their aim of promotion to the Football League as Conference champions.

"The first half against Cambridge United was poor last Saturday, but we played a lot better in the second half. And with Exeter drawing at Morecambe, it was a massive win," the 23-year-old said.

"I don't know why we were like that. It was a stop-start game. But in the second half we came into our own.

"To be fair to Cambridge, they did well against us.

"We were joking the other week and asking what price we would be to score in every game but that record could have gone.

"Maybe we were thinking about what might be. But at half-time we got a kick up the backside and we responded to that.

"Last year we might not have got that reaction. Instead we might have drawn or even got beat.

"But everyone's together and the quality of players I think is better than last year. We seem to be getting the ball down a lot more instead of going for the long balls to Paul Mullin.

"We shout at each other still, but there's no malice in it. It's because we want to win. We've got a team full of winners."

And Craney insisted the team spirit extends far beyond the starting 11.

"The lads on the bench are behind those in the starting line-up 100 per cent, and maybe that's another reason why we're doing so well," he said.

"Andy Mangan, for example, probably changed the game in a way on Saturday because he offered us something different."

Meanwhile, Craney is hoping to make the final cut for the England National Game XI squad to face Italy in the European Challenge Trophy.

He and team-mate Gary Roberts have been selected in the initial squad, which will be cut to 16 ahead of the game.

Craney last played for England against Belgium in mid-November, but Roberts missed out on being shortlisted for the team.

However, if Stanley gain promotion to Coca Cola League Two, none of the Stanley players would be eligible for the National Game XI.

But due to the build-up of games as the Reds work towards the end of the season, boss John Coleman could be tempted to withdraw two of his star performers from England duty to prevent the risk of injury or fatigue.

"I want to be in every squad that gets picked, and the manager probably wants be to go and play because it's good for the club's profile," Craney said.

"But we've got a few games coming up and if he decided he didn't want me to be involved in the squad I would respect his decision."