BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes is hoping for some good news from the treatment room in the build up to Sunday's North West derby with Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok.

Craig Bellamy and Paul Dickov are both battling to be fit to face Sam Allardyce's side at the weekend and Hughes is quietly confident that at least one of them will be ready as Rovers go in search of their first away points of the season.

The two strikers have not figured in the first team since Rovers' opening day defeat at West Ham nearly a month ago.

Bellamy has missed the last three games with a muscle tear, while Dickov - who was suspended anyway as a result of his red card at Upton Park - has been struggling to overcome a thigh injury picked up on international duty with Scotland.

However, both players have taken part in light training sessions during the last few days and Hughes is hoping to have at least one of them back, with Dickov looking to have the better chance of making it at this stage.

"Craig isn't far away and we're hopeful," said Hughes.

"Paul Dickov is also coming on as well. He joined in training the other day so he's probably a little bit ahead of Craig at the moment, but we hope to push them on this week and, touch wood, they'll be an option for us."

Dickov, of course, scored a memorable winner when the two sides met at the Reebok in the corresponding fixture last season and the former Leicester hit-man will be desperate to be involved as he looks to get his campaign up and running after a false start.

Meanwhile, new signing Zurab Khizanishvili could also make his debut in the game after joining Rovers last week on a season-long loan from Rangers.

With Andy Todd set to start a three-match ban at the weekend, Hughes will have to make changes at the back and the Georgian international could figure in a new-look defence.

The 23-year-old, who was signed on a deadline day, comes with an impressive reputation and Hughes would have no qualms about throwing him in.

"I've seen him play and I've been aware of him for sometime," said Hughes, explaining how last week's swoop came about.

"He had a good time at Dundee and we know the ex-manager there, Jim Duffy, who gave him a great recommendation, not only as a player but as a boy as well.

"The opportunity then came to get him in and he'll give us that cover at right back and at centre half.

"He's played at the right level and he's an international so he'll give us competition right across the back four."

Brett Emerton was on target for Australia last night as they beat the Soloman Islands 2-1 in the second leg of their Oceania Football Confederation's World Cup qualifying series.

The Rovers midfielder had also scored in the first leg, which the Socceroos won 7-0.