BIRKINSHAW STAYS AT BOSTON

Boston chairman Stephen Lambert came off the telephone to Sheffield supremo Neil Machin wearing his biggest smile for some time.

That was because the Prowlers boss had agreed to James Birkinshaw continuing his Conference League season at Boston for the rest of the 2002 campaign.

“It’s very good news,” said Lambert as Boston and Sheffield prepared for their meeting at King’s Lynn this Sunday.

Sheffield are once again serious championship contenders and Boston have moved up to sixth place in the table and are close on the heels of the leading group.

The Barracuda-Braves are hopeful of as high a finishing position as possible to impress Boston Borough Council when they re-assess the club’s planning application in September.

“There is no doubt that a high league position lends some support to the application,” added Lambert.

We are keen to do well in all of our remaining matches and Sheffield is no exception in spite of the very generous help that we have had from them this season.”

Boston have agreed to rearrange the away match originally scheduled to take place at Sheffield on Monday of next week to September 23, thus allowing the Sheffield club an opportunity to arrange a Premier League Knockout Cup match at Glasgow on that date.

“It would have made a nice package to meet the Prowlers on consecutive dates but we readily agreed to the switch as a thank you for all they have done for us this season,” said Lambert.