BLACKBURN Hawks player-coach Jared Owen has begun the process of bolstering his squad.

Owen is resigned to losing Myles Dacres and Bobby Streetly to NIHL Moralee Conference rivals Sutton Sting.

He has therefore brought forward Tom King back to the Blackburn Arena as well as closing in on another new addition, the identity of who he hopes to announce ‘very soon’.

Family commitments mean King has been re-signed only as injury cover.

But Owen is delighted to be able to call on a player that not only knows the Hawks inside out, but is blessed with quality.

King, however, will not be able to play in tomorrow’s trip to Scotland to take on table-topping Solway Sharks (7pm) as he must serve a two-match suspension incurred when he was playing for Deeside Dragons last season.

Dacres and Streetly will definitely not be part of the Hawks party that heads north of the border.

The duo, however, are unable to complete their moves to Sting until they, or their new club, pay back their registration fees.

Dacres and Streetly were absent as Hawks lost 7-6 to Sting in the NLN Cup on Saturday and then drew 2-2 at home to Manchester Minotaurs in the league on Sunday.

Hawks will have to keep it tight at the back tomorrow against a Solway side that are averaging more than six goals a game, the most in the league.

But Owen’s men ran Sharks close earlier this season, going down to a 2-1 home defeat, having ended their incredible 34-game unbeaten last season on the way to winning the play-offs.

Owen said: “They are a very good team but we have shown we are more than capable of playing them.

“If we can win there it would really open up the league.

“It’s exciting for the fans as it looks like this season anybody can beat anybody.”

Ivo Dimitrijevs will definitely miss the match.

The Latvian was hospitalised during a recent visit to his home country and has been advised by doctors to take a break from playing as he recovers from a stomach problem which has disrupted his season.

But Hawks could be boosted by the return of their boss.

Owen has missed the last three games with a back injury.

Owen is also waiting to see if Scott Robson – who plays for Hull Stingrays in the Elite League along with Hawks – will be available for selection.

The Hakws chief believed his side had done enough to come away with more than a point from their two games last weekend.

He said: “Scoring six goals away from home should have been enough to win the game.

“But we made defensive mistakes and Danny Brittle didn’t have his best game.

“But he bounced back on Sunday and put in a massive performance.

“We created a lot of chances and their goalkeeper played very well. We also had a goal disallowed when the puck seemed to cross the line.

“We also kept their overseas forward in check.

“He’s scored a lot of goals, he’s the top scorer in the league, but defensively we were very strong and we looked a good unit.”

The Hawks currently sit in fifth position in the league table after the opening nine games – eight points adrift of leaders Solway.