Stafford Rangers striker Ben Mills believes the secret to the success of his partnership with Nick Wellecomme is the hot-shot duo’s lung-busting work ethic.

The new pairing have 12 goals between so far this term in their first season together, although the young forward had previously played alongside Wellecomme for Leek before following him to Marston Road in the summer.

Mills, who had been pursued by Rangers boss Chris Brindley since January, has five to his name in his first full season in the Blue Square North with three in his last three games.

The 20-year-old is firing again just as seven-goal partner Nick Wellecomme is experiencing a lean patch with no goals in his last four games, and Rangers have took four points over that period.

But there is clearly more goals to come from the strikers, with Mills happy to share the burden while his partner finds his scoring boots again.

The young forward may have had his own problems with injury and form this season, but now believes much better times are ahead.

He said: “It has been a relief really, I had gone quite a while without scoring so it’s great to get up and running again. It takes a bit of pressure off and makes me more relaxed, so I can enjoy it a bit more.

“Being a striker, people are always looking at how many goals you score, all the other work that goes in tends to go unnoticed.

“What you will always get from me and Nick is 110 per cent and no matter what it’s clear there is goals in the team, whether it’s us or the midfielders. If we can keep that up, we won’t go far wrong.

“Something must be going right in that respect.”