KEIGHLEY have had an unexpected fringe benefit from their All Schools Programme link with Parkside School.

They have signed teacher Dave Needham, and he is expected to make his debut on Saturday at SSE Yorkshire Division Two basement club Leeds Medics & Dentists.

Keighley's director of rugby Graeme Sheffield explained: "Dave has been involved with Parkside School in our pre-match cross-code entertainment, and has decided to throw his hat into the ring with us.

"Scrum half has been a problem position for us so it will be interesting to see how he goes."

Keighley are only three places higher than their opponents but Sheffield sees no reason why the Utley club cannot have a strong second half of the campaign.

He said: "We have some winnable matches, such as Leeds Medics & Dentists, Sheffield Medicals and Ripon (the current bottom three), and the aim is to finish in the top five or six, which, considering the injuries and players that we haven't had available for other reasons, would be some achievement."

Keighley lost five of their opening six matches this campaign, with Sheffield admitting: "We started badly and got worse but we had a rethink a quarter of the way through the season and put in some reasonable performances.

"We tend to play well when we are underdogs and then not perform against sides that we should beat, and some of the first-teamers have not performed to their ability.

"We officially opened the club's gym on Saturday, December 13, so now there is less of an excuse as it is two-thirds full of rugby-based equipment, with the rest arriving early in the new year.

"We can work in there on training nights when the pitches are not fit, while all the cardio equipment is also available in a store room through the first-team changing room.

"It has its own heating, lighting and showers and is 70 square metres, with an inch-thick rubber mat. "

Sheffield added: "Injuries have been a factor, although we don't like to use that as an excuse.

"Chris Cooper (former fourth-team manager) said to me recently that nine of the lads in the first team were playing for the fourth team two seasons ago.

"If you are a decent rugby player, you don't start in the fourth team. You start in the second team or the first team but the lads that have come in cannot be faulted for effort."

Sheffield's optimism for the second half of the season is based to a degree on the players who are coming back from injury.

He said: "Danny McGee should be back this weekend after four matches out, while Stuart Inman and Alex Brown will hopefully return at the end of January.

"We haven't heard from Marco Ferrazzano after his injuries but would love him to be involved again, while Ben Blackwell just wants to play social rugby, and Scott Dyson has had to retire due to injury, which is a massive loss."