SAM COSGROVE is ‘absolutely’ expecting more strikers to join him at Barnsley soon but believes he and Max Watters can be an effective partnership for the Reds.

The pair, who each made nine league starts last season as they were rarely first choice, have been the main strikers in pre-season.

Cosgrove told the Chronicle: “It’s a fresh start. In pre-season you can see we complement each other well. The goals haven’t been there as much as we want so far but we are building our relationship on the pitch and I think it’s a partnership that could work well.”

While Cosgrove and Watters look likely to play up front against Mansfield on Friday, the Reds are thought to be looking for two more strikers in the transfer window.

Cosgrove said: “We’re under no illusions there will be more faces in building. That will absolutely include another striker or two I imagine. In pre-season the shirt has been ours and we want to keep it that way but we welcome competition.”

On pre-season in general, Cosgrove said: “Everything has been planned and in place. The first few weeks were just going through standard pre-season stuff then the last couple of weeks everything was geared toward tactics and this week it has been preparing for the first game. Everyone is in right frame of mind.”