FLY-HALF Ryan Lamb kept Worcester Warriors’ second string’ “in the game” at Northampton Wanderers, according to Sixways boss Dean Ryan.

The vastly-experienced Lamb has made just one Aviva Premiership start this term and had a tough final 26 minutes in Warriors’ 50-12 thrashing at Exeter Chiefs.

But the 29-year-old struck two penalties and a conversion as Worcester Cavaliers fell 16-13 at Northampton Wanderers in their final Aviva A-League clash at Franklin’s Gardens.

Speaking about Lamb’s display against Exeter at Sandy Park, Ryan said: “It wasn’t necessarily the ideal circumstances for Ryan to press his claims.

“We were not going to win the game but there are times when you have got to adapt and accept you have lost and mitigate the damage.

“We contributed to the final scoreline (at Exeter) by positively thinking there was a bonus point on offer for us but there wasn’t.

“There are times when you have to say, ‘This is a game which has gone beyond us’ and manage the game the same way you would at any other time.”

Lamb struck the last-gasp conversion in last May's Championship play-off final against Bristol which secured Warriors’ promotion back to the top tier.

He has amassed nearly 1,000 Premiership points during spells with Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints, London Irish and Gloucester.

But Warriors chief Ryan said: “I don’t think playing from our own 22 with 13 men was particularly constructive against Exeter but we have spoken about that.

“When you’ve got a lad like Ryan who wants to press a claim, it’s a difficult balance and it’s not something we will dwell on.”

Ryan added: “If you had watched him (Lamb) in the A-League on Monday night, he managed the game very well and kept the side in the game.”