TEAM boss Neil Middleditch admits the possibility of a play-off berth is fading but insists: “We are Poole Pirates and we never give up.”

The Pirates manager issued a rallying cry to his charges ahead of tonight’s “must win” clash with table-toppers Wolverhampton (7.30pm).

The Wimborne Road manager says the club’s top-four chances are “slipping away” amid a “hollow feeling” in the camp following Chris Holder’s horror crash at Coventry on Friday.

But despite Monday’s 49-42 defeat at Monmore Green, Middleditch believes his men can build on their late flurry when they host Wolves.

Poole’s manager told the Daily Echo: “It would have been just reward for our efforts to get the losing away point on Monday and we have to build on the momentum we found towards the end of the meeting.

“The play-offs are slipping away from us but we have got to keep going because we are Poole Pirates and we never give up. We will push for the play-offs until it is impossible.

“There is a hollow feeling without Chris (Holder). We are missing his presence in the team and it is tough because I am turning up for each meeting wondering who I am going to have riding.

“I don’t know what we have done but Lady Luck certainly isn’t smiling on us this year and it is a must-win situation (against Wolves).

“We will have to win our home meetings and a couple away now because there are not many opportunities left and Swindon’s win on Monday certainly didn’t help our cause.”

Swindon’s Troy Batchelor will guest for the stricken Holder while Poole will utilise rider replacement for Tomas H Jonasson.

Meanwhile, injury and unavailability will make the visitors’ side almost unrecognisable, with Edward Kennett, Josef Tabaka and Ashley Birks guesting.

Pirates (from): Batchelor (guest), Dyer, Grajczonek, Janowski, R/R for Jonasson, Tungate, Ward.

Wolves (from): Birks (guest), Kennett (guest), R/R for Proctor, Skornicki, Tabaka (guest), Wells, Woffinden.