Peter Roe brings his Swinton side to Spotland on Saturday boosted by their passage into the next round of the Challenge Cup and by some encouraging performances thus far this season.

Ex Hornet Chris Hough won't be in the side though. Stretchered from the field in the Leigh game with a suspected broken leg, further investigation has hrevealed no break, but an injury serious enough to keep him sidelined for up to a month. Also in the wars is Chris Smith who has a piece of floating cartilage in his knee.

Lynchpin of the Lions' line-up is Kris Tassel. Bringing Super League experience, he ran in a hat-trick last week in a man of the match perfromance. He's joined in the centres by Phil Hassan. Also on the scoresheet in their convincing win at Chorley was ex-Hornet Lee Hudson.

Up front, Andy Leathem, Rob Barraclough and Simon Knox looks like a formidable front row, whilst wide-running, goal-kicking second rower Craig Wingfield packs down beside Dave Elisson. Phil Cushion locks in at 13.

Having seemingly settled in their new home, this will be a season of reconciliation and stabilising for Swinton. Carrying the tag of 'weakest link' in this Arriva Trains Cup 'group of death', they know that nothing's expected of them - and that they have nothing to lose. And such liberation from expectation means that we underestimate them at our peril.

Hally will undoubtedly have been picking over the debris in the wake of last week's humbling by Hull KR. We're sure that certain players will have been told to examine closely their perfromances and rectify their shortcomings sharpish.

But if we are to look for positives, we seem to have a strong go-forward pack, the highlights of which have been the titanic devence of Damian Ball, the determination of Andy 'grunt' Grundy and the outstanding workrate of Dave Larder.

Undoubtedly Ian Watson's the sparky scum-half we've been crying out for -and he'll get even better as the season goes on. All we have to do now is find him an expansive number six to play off and we'll look much more fluid.

The only real worry for Hally this weekend is Casey Mayberry who limped out of last week's game with suspected shin-splints.

On paper, this game should be a great opportunity for Hornets to continue our good progress in this competition, but we have to be switched on from the first whistle. Indeed, every game in the Arriva Cup is vital, especially in a group as tight as ours - which is why your support is as vital as always.

Admittedly, Saturday afternoon sounds like a bad time to play, but we must make the best of it. So get into your mates' ribs and drag 'em up to Spotland with you. It'll be a good game and you'd be mad to miss it. See you there.