Eastwood hoping Lamb can beef up Boyne

BOYNE coach Graeme Eastwood is hoping new signing Stuart Lamb can help reverse the club’s slide down the AIL Division 2C table and save them from possible relegation.

Former Ballynahinch captain Lamb goes straight into the squad for this Friday’s derby clash with Navan at Shamrock Lodge (kick-off 8pm), and with Declan Moore and Kevin McCleery coming back from injury as well, there’s renewed optimism in the camp that Boyne can avoid the dreaded drop.

Whether Lamb can make an instant impact remainss to be seen as Boyne have only beaten their neighbours ours once in seven attempts in the All-Ireland League. Eastwood (left) agreed that instilling belief in his squad that they can upset the current league leaders is an important part of preparations for the game.

‘Of course it is,’ he said, speaking on Tuesday morning. ‘But anything can happen in a local derby on a Friday night, ght, and we came away with a lot of positives when we playedyed them down there.

‘It was 12-12 in the 60th minute and we were well in the game, and that was at a time when we had five or six of our panel out through injury. We got a yellow card quite late on and then they scored two tries in the last 10 minutes and we didn’t even get a losing bonus point.

‘The boys know what’s needed and what’s not needed to stay in this division and hopefully we can spoil the party. They have put in a lot of preparation work which they all hope will stand them in good stead on Friday and they are relishing the challenge.’

Eastwood feels the experience of Lamb, who is currently with Portadown in the Ulster League will be vital in the runin to the end of the season.

‘Stuart is a personal friend of mine and we’ve signed him on dual status and he’ll be available for six of our last seven games, with the possibility of next season as well.

‘He knew we were half-struggling with injuries and didn’t take much persuading to help us out. He’s 34 and has captained Ballynahinch in the AIL and he’ll bring a bit of experience which we are lacking at the minute.

‘We’re in a dogfight, but four of our last seven games are at home and with the boys coming back from injury we’re capable of getting out of trouble.’