TAMWORTH boss Des Lyttle is hoping the capture of midfielder Christian Smith can spark the Lambs back to winning ways.

A sequence of three successive defeats has left the Lambs – in 16th place – looking over their shoulders at the danger zone.

Smith, however, has joined from Wrexham on an emergency loan for the rest of the season and will make his debut in tomorrow’s trip to relegation battlers Altrincham.

“With Christian coming in and Stewart Hendrie joining us last week, that will hopefully bring us a little bit of freshness,” said Lyttle. “Christian is a big, strong lad with a nice left foot and he will bring something a little bit different.”

Midfielder Smith needed international clearance to join from the Dragons and this will be the 23-year-old’s third loan spell of the season after stints at Newport and Barrow.

Wrexham had loaned keeper Danny Ward to the Lambs last week as a one-off but Tamworth will have Liam Mitchell back fit to face Altrincham after his hand injury. Skipper Jay Smith will miss out, however, after damaging his medial ligaments in training yesterday.

Lyttle, who is hoping to add another new face today, is aware Tamworth’s slide has sucked them closer to a relegation dogfight. They now lie just five points ahead of fourth-from-bottom Hayes & Yeading.