H&W Welders manager Paul Kee admits Tiarnan O’Connor and Josh Kee “are definitely a good force” after both once again played important roles in Saturday’s 4-0 victory over Ballinamallard United.

O’Connor brought his Championship goal tally to 18 goals in 24 appearances this term while playmaker Kee was named ‘Man of the Match’ after another impressive performance at the Blanchflower Stadium.

The win means Kee’s side have now put together a six-game unbeaten league run and they remain sitting in third, just two points behind second-placed Limavady United and eight drift of leaders Bangor, who suffered a 2-1 defeat to Newry City on Friday evening.

Both O’Connor and Kee, who is the son of boss Paul, have received significant interest from Premiership clubs throughout the January transfer window, but the East Belfast outfit will hope to keep the pair around as they chase promotion.

placeholder image — H&W Welders manager Paul Kee. (Photo by Sarah Harkness/Pacemaker Press)

"He (Josh) has done well,” Kee told the club’s media channel. “There's big interest in him as well but he's important to the team.

"I thought he was a bit wasteful at times with the ball because he's normally very good. Him and Tiarnan are definitely a good force in our forward play - they make goals, score goals and help us be that team which people are seeing.

"We need to be a bit better down the sides at times. We've been bantering with Oran O'Kane this week and he put an amazing ball in for the first goal, so we want more of that.

"Tiarnan and Josh are key to us if we want to make a push for a position in the top-two."

January recruit Salou Jallow, who was previously on the books of Ards and Glentoran, scored just nine minutes into his home debut while Jordan McMullan netted a brace.

Alongside Jallow, Kee has also moved to bring in both James McClay and goalkeeper Gerard Walker this month, and revealed at least two more players will be signed next week.

"There'll be two coming in next week, maybe a third, but definitely two who we've agreed with,” he added. “Hopefully that will all be finalised by Tuesday.”

The Welders are the Championship’s form team, collecting 11 points from a possible 15 over their last five games – no team has more – while they’ve scored the league’s most goals (12) in that period too.

Only Limavady United have conceded fewer, but Kee is determined to remain focused on the task at hand with upsets a common occurrence in Northern Ireland’s unpredictable second-tier.

"That's all you can do (take it one game at a time),” he said. “Everybody is fighting for points and you see on Friday night that Newry had a good result...you can't be complacent, you have to be at your very best.

"It's a credit to the players today because we went about our business professionally and they knew the importance of it. I'm really pleased."