PLAY-OFF CLUBS DETERMINED

Poole's next opponents, Coventry Bees, collected a maximum 6 points from their double header fixture over Eastbourne on Friday and those results confirmed the four clubs who will contest the championship-deciding play-offs.

Eastbourne had an outside chance of reaching the top quartet but two big defeats means that irrespective of how they perform in another batch of double-header action on Monday night at Belle Vue they can no longer attain sufficient points to overhaul Swindon who have completed their league programme and finished on 55 league points.

The Pirates, who visit Coventry on Monday (15th) and then Leicester on Wednesday could mathematically finish top of the table despite King's Lynn currently holding a four point advantage over them, but realistically the big battle will be whether they finish second or third. A win at Coventry would put them favourites for second place, as that would leave the Bees needing to max out their last two away matches to then go level on points.

The team that finishes top of the league will have a choice of opponents for the play-off semi-finals and the highest placed side of the two clubs remaining after that selection would then have choice as to whether they stage their home leg of the tie first or second.

Remaining Fixtures

Monday 15th Sept: Belle Vue v Eastbourne followed by Belle Vue v Eastbourne; Coventry v Poole

Tuesday 16th Sept: King's Lynn v Lakeside

Wednesday 17th Sept: Leicester v Poole

Monday 22nd Sept: Belle Vue v King's Lynn & Belle Vue v Coventry

Friday 26th Sept: Coventry v Wolverhampton

The Elite league play-offs begin on Monday 29th September.