BLACKBURN Hawks boss Bobby Haig today fired a warning to his flailing Hawks squad: "Pull your socks up, or else."

Haig watched his side slip to an 11-2 defeat at Whitley Bay on Sunday and despite a comprehensive victory over the Canadian Navy the previous night, hit out at his team's promotion hopes.

"We have to improve over the next couple of months if we want to make the play-offs," said Haig. "Every week there are too many players who are not at their best.

"But I have said before that this is an inexperienced side and for our first season in this league we are not doing too badly.

"The trouble is, we know we could be doing a lot better."

Haig was today relieved to hear that Dan Mackriel will be back in action this weekend.

The Hawks star was forced out of Sunday's defeat at Whitley Bay with concussion, but is expected to be given the all-clear to play this weekend. "I've been sore this week and I have had trouble sleeping," said Mackriel.

"But I have a doctor's appointment on Friday and hopefully they will give me the all-clear to play."

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