PIRATES TRAVEL TO TOP AND BOTTOM ON BANK HOLIDAY

The ReadyPower Pirates face a tough Bank Holiday Monday with two on-the-road meetings as they face sides in contrasting positions in the Elite league table.

Second placed Poole begin their holiday-fest of racing with a midday start at table-topping Belle Vue before 'calling-in' at bottom-placed Leicester (19.45) on their way home.

 And with the battle for league position supremacy heading rapidly towards its climax, Poole boss Matt Ford is targeting his charges with a minimum 5 point return from Monday's travels.

"The run-in for top spot has taken a little bit of a shake-up with recent results but if we are to be serious about trying to bank top place and earn the pick of opponents for the semi-finals then we need be coming home with at least five points on Monday.  That is not an easy target but certainly far from unattainable if we ride to our true potential and right now that is precisely what the lads need to do. It is a tough call on both men and machinery to do two in one day but the pressure is now on and it is time to respond."

On the face of it one would expect Ford's target to be achieved if the Pirates can pick up at least a point in the early fixture at the new National Stadium against the high-flying Aces. The leaders showed that they are not totally impenetrable as they went down at home last Wednesday at the hands of King's Lynn.

That in itself though could work against the Pirates as the Aces will be more fired up than ever for this top of the table clash. The Aces' defeat came with them missing the services of the free-flowing points scorer Max Fricke who was on Danish duty that night, but they have named a full strength side for the midday match on Monday.

Should the Pirates fail to yield any league points against the Aces then Ford's target will be unachievable, whilst just a consolation point would leave the Pirates seeking maximum points at Leicester. That in itself will require an improvement on the draw that they gained there earlier in the campaign.

Poole were rampant at home to the Lions on Wednesday and on Monday the hosts will yet again be without their number on Patrick Hougaard as he has yet another Danish fixture clash. They are due to have Ludvig Lindgren back in their side, the Swede having returned from injury on Friday night with his Premier league club Newcastle recording a paid 14 score for the Diamonds at Peterborough.

Teams (from)

Belle Vue: Craig Cook, Max Fricke, Scott Nicholls (capt), Steve Worrall, Matej Zagar, Joe Jacobs, Richie Worrall - Team manager: Mark Lemon

Leicester: Guest or R/R for Patrick Hougaard, Nicolai Klindt (capt), Paul Starke, Aaron Summers, Szymon Wozniak,  Josh Auty, Ludvig Lindgren - Team manager: Norrie Allan

Poole: Hans Andersen (capt), Krzysztof Buczkowski, Adam Ellis, Brady Kurtz, Chris Holder, Kyle Newman, Bjarne  Pedersen - Team manager: Neil Middleditch