Workington Reds assistant boss Steven Rudd believes the introduction of three talented youngsters from the bench during the second half of the Integro League Cup win against Ossett United is evidence of the work he and manager Danny Grainger are doing to create a pathway for local rising stars into the first team.

Young trio James Bell, Carl Lightfoot and Aidan Howarth were introduced during Tuesday night’s match and Rudd pointed to the fact that two of them came on while the result was still in hanging in the balance as proof that they have faith in them to cope with the step up to senior football.

He said: “It’s a part of the club that me and Danny want to develop even further but we’ve made good progress this year we feel.

“The reserves lads are all under 18 or 19 years old which is positive and there’s a pathway there for them.

“They’re not just coming in to make numbers up; when two of them came on it was only 1-0 so they know they’ve got our trust, we know they’re good enough and it’s just a case of biding their time.

“It’s easy for them when they’re not playing as much as they’d want to be to go back and play with their mates locally.

“We had Harry on the bench, Matty Hartley was here tonight not even in the squad and there are five or six others that were unlucky to miss out.

“It’s just a matter of time.”