MATT Tubbs immediately forged a winning partnership with Wes Thomas and then warned Cherries’ League One rivals: Things can only get better.

Cherries boss Lee Bradbury is understood to have spent approaching £1million to bring the attacking duo to Seward Stadium from Crawley Town during the January transfer window.

Tubbs and Thomas suggested that could prove a good investment as they combined to help Cherries record a 2-0 home win over Exeter City on Tuesday night.

Debutant Tubbs marked his first appearance since joining the Dorset outfit by getting a goal and an assist during a lively second-half display.

And the 27-year-old is hopeful that his link-up with Thomas can develop into a strong alliance during the club’s play-off push.

Tubbs told the Daily Echo: “Wes is a friend of mine. I got on well with him when we were at Crawley and I am getting on well with him now.

“All good strike partnerships get on well off and on the pitch. In the past, all my strike partners have been very close to me and very good friends.

“Wes is a top lad and, hopefully, this partnership can go a long way.

“Wes is an intelligent player and with players like Wes to play alongside, it makes my job easy because we just bounce off each other.

“We have not really played together for that long. We had a brief spell together at Crawley and I have only been here for a week or so now.

“Things are looking good so far so they can only get better.”

Discussing his new-look frontline, Bradbury said: “They seemed to get a better understanding the longer the game went on.

“In the last half an hour of the game, they linked up together quite well a couple of times around the edge of the penalty box. They created some chances for each other.

“I think they will be a real handful together.”

Tubbs’s close-range finish was his 19th goal of the season and the first since he joined Cherries for the fourth time in his career.

The Verwood-raised frontman said: “It was good to get the goal in front of the Steve Fletcher Stand.

“I used to come here and watch as a kid and it was good to see the big names scoring goals. For me to get a goal as well was great.”

Speaking to the media following the Exeter clash, Tubbs added: “It is my home-town club and I supported the team as a boy.

“I had a couple of stints here before and they didn’t work out.

“Hopefully, with this one, I will be here for a while.”