Playmaker Ian Watson has been ruled out of the Swinton Lions squad for tomorrow's LHF Healthplan National League Two four-pointer.

It was announced this week that the scrum-half will be out for more than six weeks after shattering his cheek-bone and eye-socket during the agonising 23-20 defeat at Workington leaving a sizeable hole for coach Paul Kidd to try to fill.

Warren Ayres will come into the squad as a replacement for Watson, but winger Marlon Billy and prop Paul Southern are also extremely doubtful to make the 17.

Full-back Wayne English and centre Lee Patterson are the key scorers the Knights will have to tame with 17 and 18 tries respectively, while goal-kicking loose forward Lee Marsh will be gunning to add to his 184 points with a vital win.

TOMORROW'S SQUADS

Knights (probable): Blaymire, Ross, Potter, Callaghan, Fox, Rhodes, P Thorman, Sozi, Levy, Bates, Smith, Kirke, Paterson. Subs: Sullivan, Elston, Liddell, Forsyth.

Lions (possible): English, Oldham, Patterson, Maye, Irwin, Coates, Ayres, Heaton, Joseph, Rogers, Leigh, Sinfield, Marsh. Subs: Thorpe, Barton, Parry, Whittaker.

Kick-off: 3pm.

Updated: 10:18 Saturday, July 09, 2005