STEVE Waywell is hoping to sign two new players in the coming week to add some firepower to his Leigh RMI side.

Among them is exciting young striker Chris Ward, who made his name with Lancaster City in the Unibond League before moving on to Birmingham City.

Ward could not manage to break into the first team at St Andrews and dropped back down to the Unibond with Barrow in the summer, but as he is plying his trade on a non-contract basis, Waywell was able to pave the way for negotiations to start on Monday.

The addition of another striker would certainly put the skids under Tony Black, who has looked out of touch at best during the seven matches to date.

The same competition is needed in midfield, where 34 year-old Kevin Hulme, formerly of Halifax and Bury, is in talks with the club.

And the Railwaymen certainly need numbers at the moment as their squad is being stretched to breaking point ahead of Barnet's visit to Hilton Park tomorrow.

With Gerry Harrison a long term absentee with a knee injury, the last thing that Leigh needed were any more injuries in defence, but that is exactly what they are faced with. Neil Durkin (hamstring), Neil Fitzhenry (ankle) and midfielder Phil Salt (calf) will all undergo late fitness tests before Peter Shreeves' men hit town, while full-back Dominic Ludden (back) is a certain absentee.

Leigh's problems are exacerbated by the fact that Chris Cornelly has returned to Unibond club Ashton United in a seemingly permanent move.

Yet, in the unusual position of having won two home games on the spin at headquarters, Waywell says that he is confident of getting three points.

"We are playing well home and away at the moment and I have no worries if we continue to play like we did at Southport and Chester," he said. "We should have beaten Barnet twice last year and we will be up for making it third time lucky."