Workington Reds are counting on improving crowds to roar them to success this season, starting with today’s crucial league clash with promotion rivals Marine.

Manager Danny Grainger’s table-topping Reds will host the NPL North West Division’s fourth-placed side at Borough Park this afternoon (3pm kick-off), hoping to cement their position as league leaders.

And the boss believes a bumper crowd could be crucial to get them over the line this weekend and over the course of the season as the west Cumbrians look to make their home a fortress.

Reds have had an average crowd of 495 fans for their home league games so far this season, with their biggest attendance of 641 coming on August 26 when Pontefract Collieries visited on Bank Holiday Monday.

“We’re trying to have a real push with the fans and it would be nice to have a fantastic crowd for the weekend,” Grainger said.

“It breeds success.

“We said when we first came in that we wanted to target raising the crowds week by week.

“We’re over the moon with the support we’ve had.

“We’ve not lost at home and that’s something we’re proud of.

“We need to make sure our home form is right because, if you get that sorted, the away form will turn.“

Grainger was pleased to see his team find the back of the net from two set pieces in last weekend’s FA Trophy game at Leek Town and believes that ability to find goals from different players and situations should prove invaluable in his team’s promotion campaign.

“I think when you look at the delivery that we’ve got and the likes of Scott Allison, Nathan Waterston, Ash Kelly and others to get on the end of them, chipping in with goals from set pieces is massive for us,” he said.

“I don’t want to rely on one or two players scoring 20 goals.

“I’ve got a very straightforward way of thinking when you’re coaching and that’s that one goal is never enough.”

Grainger, who was due to meet supporters at a question-and-answer event at Borough Park last night, admitted that one signing he had hoped to complete in the last week had fallen through but he said he was happy with the squad at his disposal and was not actively seeking any further additions.

Meanwhile, new dates have been confirmed for three of Reds’ rescheduled fixtures.

Ossett United will now travel to west Cumbria on Saturday, February 8, with Runcorn Linnets set to visit on Saturday, March 21.

Workington will go to Widnes on Saturday, April 4.