A blooming midfield partnership between Brad Carroll and Niall Cowperthwaite has sparked Workington Reds into action, says manager Lee Andrews.

The Reds boss was full of praise for the duo who dominated proceedings on Saturday which led to the side picking up a crucial 2-1 victory over Bamber Bridge at Borough Park.

And Andrews believes there is even more to come as Reds look to begin to claw their way out of the relegation dogfight in the Northern Premier League.

“The last two weeks they have got a little partnership going in there, the two of them,” said Andrews.

“Since Brad came in at Christmas time, every game he has played he’s getting stronger and stronger. He’s been superb since he came in so full credit to him.

“It’s probably frustrating for the lads sitting on the bench because they’re waiting for a chance but, when them two are performing like that in there, they are dominating games and getting us going forward and we look nice and solid in the middle of the park.”

Cowperthwaite’s corner ball resulted in the winning goal for Reds as Sam Smith met it to put the ball in the back of the net and Andrews said set pieces were always going to be key.

He added: “I said before the game that set pieces would be big and it is not very often that we can say it but, physically, I felt we dominated them and that proved to be what happened with the set piece.

“We knew that if we could get some decent delivery of the ball and Cowps, in the second half, put some brilliant corners in for us, then we knew we could get on the end of one of them and we did.”

Reds had a boost with a new face in the ranks after the game, as striker/winger Dean Brotherston, put pen to paper on a non-contract deal with the club. He is just awaiting international clearance to play.

The former Queen of the South player is just 21 and keen to make his mark at Borough Park and Andrews hopes he will not be the last new signing this week.

“He is a decent player who can go in as a winger or a striker, with bags of pace,” added Andrews. “And he’s only a young boy, so has plenty of potential, as well. Hopefully, we will have another one coming in this week and we are quite confident it will happen.”