CRAIG Lingard has warned the Cougars that winless visitors South Wales Ironmen will be "no push-overs" tomorrow.

The joint-bottom team head to Keighley having lost all eight of their League One matches so far – but Lingard insists his team cannot afford to let complacency sneak in.

The Cougars have already slipped up once to an expansion side, losing 46-22 at University of Gloucestershire All Golds early in the season.

Lingard said: "Although South Wales have not won a game yet, they have pushed teams close. They only lost by two points against York and by 17 against Whitehaven.

"Out of all the games they have lost, in five of them they have lost by less than two scores, so they are no pushovers.

"We can't turn up and just put a shirt on expecting to win because we have been caught cold before, so we must make sure our players are fully focused on the job in hand. We need to do a professional job."

Lingard admits the clash is a 'must-win' game, coming on the back of defeats to Barrow and Doncaster which has left them in eighth place.

The Cougars need to finish in the top eight to give themselves a shot at the top-five play-offs after the league splits in two.

The head coach said: "First and foremost we need to get that win. If we then get off to a good start, we need to look at putting some points on the board because I keep saying that the league is that close it might come down to plus and minus points scored.

"But the priority is getting the win and then seeing what happens after that."

Keighley are set to be without Hamish Barnes, who is still struggling with a knee ligament injury.

The centre has made just one appearance since arriving back from Dewsbury Rams last month after picking up the knock against Coventry Bears.

Lingard said: "He's had a setback with his knee injury and we're not hopeful he is going to be available this week.

"I don't want to rush him any more than we need to and risk pushing him back even further. It will be at least another week or two before Hamish is ready, which is disappointing.

"If you break a bone, you get a time for it to heal, but ligament damage doesn't heal like a bone. It is pretty much play it as you see it.

"A little twist here and there could put him back another week or two, so we are just looking after him as much as we can to get him back for some important games."

The Cougars have other injury concerns, with Harry Aaronson (collar bone) and Neil Cherryholme (knee) among them, while a check will also be made on Andy Gabriel, who missed the Doncaster defeat through injury last time out.

Lingard said: "We have a few walking wounded, so we'll see who is available. We don't want to risk people if they are not 100 per cent as we want a fully fit squad going into the game."

Keighley's match, which kicks off at 6pm tomorrow, is the showpiece of their family fun day at Cougar Park, which also features a reserve fixture between the clubs (2.30pm) and a game between Keighley Albion under-16s and the Ironmen under-16s (noon).