Peterborough Lions sign an international winger

Jack Lewis gets to grips with a Huddersfield opponent. Picture: Mick Sutterby

The new boys, both wingers, are German Herrera Luhrs, who played five times for Chile between 2010 and 2016, and Chris Diamond.

Herrera Luhrs is 31 years-old and he’s flown in from Dublin. He was playing for Dundalk in Leinster League Division One. Diamond (19) has joined from National League One club Ampthill and was a member of the East Midlands team last season.

“The Chilean international comes highly recommended to us by our Irish contacts, friends of our coach Vili Ma’asi,” said Lions chairman Andy Moore.

Dean Elmore gets caught against Huddersfield. Picture: Mick Sutterby

“We are short of wingers at the moment with Kaz Henderson recovering from a broken leg and Ashley Hill and Rory White currently unavailable. And you can never have too many try-scorers. If the opposition score five tries, then we’ve got to go and score six.”

Both are expected to be included in the Lions squad for tomorrow’s National League Two North fixture away at Sedgley Park in Greater Manchester.

And the Lions travel rooted to the foot of the table after another heavy defeat last weekend.

They were crushed 43-14 by in-form Huddersfield at Solstice Park, Bretton, and are now 11 points from National League safety. The defeat came hot on the heels of a 47-7 hammering up in Fylde.

Lions centre Suva Ma'asi is tackled against Huddersfield. Picture: Mick Sutterby

And their fixture list certainly doesn’t get any easier this weekend with Sedgley Park in fourth place.

It’s been a real baptism of fire for the Lions in their first season at Level Four. Tomorrow’s game will be their ninth of the season and eight of them will have been against sides in the top eight.

After Sedgley Park life could get easier.

“The fixture list has certainly been cruel to us,” said Moore. “Hopefully when we start playing the bottom-half teams we can start to pick up some points and begin to move our way up the table.

Connor Gracey (left) and Ben Young try to stop a Huddesrfield player. Picture: Mick Sutterby

“And hopefully some of our injured players will start to recover.

“Our injury situation is certainly not helping at the moment. We had half-a-dozen out against Huddersfield and with such a small squad that is hitting us hard.

“We knew we’d be punching above our weight at this level but it’s tougher than we anticipated.

“But there’s still a long way to go and we all have to remain positive. We’ve not become a bad side overnight. We’re just not getting the rub of the green at the moment. We deserve a bit of luck.”

The injury list worsened on Saturday when skipper Conor Gracey left the action at half-time with a damaged elbow. He’s ruled out for the Sedgley Park trip.

Borough meanwhile are at home to Towcestrians tomorrow in Midlands Division One and will be hoping to build on last weekend’s 25-17 win at Rugby Lions.

Towcestrians have lost heavily in their last two games - 48-21 to Paviors and 40-23 to Oundle.

Oundle are also at home. They entertain table-topping Kettering.

Borough team: O’Connell, Dingle, Day, Crooks, Linnell, McClure, Sykes, Swindells, Chamberlain, Newman, Offer, Morris, Langton, Tshepo-Olebile, Bean. Subs: Cowell, Throne, Stuffins.

TOMORROW’S FIXTURES

ENGLISH CLUBS CHAMPIONSHIP

National League Division Two North: Sedgley Park v Peterborough Lions.

Midlands Division One: Oundle v Kettering, Peterborough v Towcestrians.

Midlands Division Two East (South): Huntingdon v Coalville.

Midlands Division Three East (South): Daventry v Bourne, Northampton Casuals v Stamford.

Midlands Division Three East (North): Nottingham Casuals v Spalding.

Midlands Division Four East (South): Deepings v Brackley, Sileby Town v Thorney.

London Division Three Eastern Counties: Woodbridge v Wisbech.