LATICS boss Ronnie Moore has an injury headache in defence ahead of Saturday's match at Doncaster Rovers.

Will Haining and Danny Hall are both definitely out and Guy Branston requires treatment, while striker Chris Porter is another confirmed absentee.

With three points neded to keep the club's play-off hopes alive for another week, Moore admitted he was down to the bare bones.

He said: "Will's gone over on his ankle in training and won't play, Guy's phoned in to say he's got a stiff neck but I'd have thought he'll relish the challenge on Saturday.

"Richie Wellens hasn't trained this week but he'll want to play, and Danny Hall's got a knee injury from the game on Tuesday.

"Stefan Stam had an hour the other day and he looked like he'd been out for months, so this game might be too soon for him.

"It's been a nightmare at the back this season. I don't know what (Chris) Swailes is going to be looking like for next season and Will picks up a lot of injuries so we've got to make sure there's someone able to step in.

"I can't just sit and wait and hope Swailes is going to be OK, I'll have to have a word with the owners to get an experienced guy in there."

If Branston is fit, Moore has the option of bringing in Gareth Owen for Haining, or moving Terrell Forbes into the centre, moving Mark Hughes to right-back and restoring Richard Butcher into midfield.

Either way, it promises to be a difficult afternoon at the Earth Stadium with Moore looking to avoid six defeats in six matches against South Yorkshire's League One clubs.

Barnsley and Rotherham United have already done the double in the League and, with Doncaster having won at Boundary Park in November, an unwanted hat-trick is in the offing.

Moore said: "To lose to Rotherham and Barnsley twice and possible do the same with Doncaster means that's 18 points gone - give us half of those back and what a season it would be for us.

"South Yorkshire hasn't been nice for us so it'll be nice to go back to Doncaster and win. They think they've got an outside chance (of the play-offs) but we've got to win the game, it's as simple as that."