Peter Roe brings his Swinton side to Spotland on Wednesday evening buoyed by their Challenge Cup adventure that peaked when they took a shock lead at Wigan on Sunday. As we saw in the previous round when the Lions routed Fev, ex Hornet Chris Hough really makes Swinton Tick. His non-stop, bustling style creates options for what is a big and mobile pack - so we'd better keep an eye on him!

Another lynchpin of the Lions' line-up is Kris Tassel. Bringing Super League experience, he's partnered in the centres by Phil Hassan, so they have a potent strike force there too.

Up front, Andy Leathem, Rob Barraclough and Simon Knox is a formidable front row, whilst wide-running, goal-kicking second rower Craig Wingfield packs down beside Phil Cushion. Rob Russell - try-scorere against Wigan - locks in at 13.

Having seemingly settled in their new home, we all thought that this would be a season of reconciliation and stabilising for Swinton - but the early signs are that they will be a competitive force in National League 2. 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. Such liberation from expectation means that we underestimate them at our peril.

Hally will undoubtedly have been equally pleased and peed-off after the game at Workington.

Slack, sloppy and error-ridden, Hornets barely got the handbrake off. 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 defence 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. Is Steve Doherty the answer? As he gains confidence and plays himself in we'll see.

On paper, this game should be a great opportunity for Hornets to continue in winning ways, but we have to be switched on from the first whistle. With qualification from ther group stage of the Arriva Cup out of our hands, winning is a good habit to get into in the lead up to the serious stuff of the league campaign.

Get into your mates' ribs and drag 'em up to Spotland with you on Wedsnesday night. It'll be a cracking local derby and you'd be mad to miss it. See you there.