PROMOTER Matt Ford has warned his Poole Pirates team that next week’s mouth-watering showdown with Swindon could be their last chance to avoid the axe.

Ford is pondering a first permanent change to his top five this season but will hold fire until August’s adjusted averages open up a preferred option.

Poole’s four away defeats during the past month have contributed to the team’s cumulative average dropping from 35.21 to 33.82 ahead of the final window to redeclare before August 28.

Dakota North has shed more than a point during that spell with Davey Watt and Chris Holder running smaller losses.

Ford has a potential new recruit in mind but insists he has yet to make contact and hopes to see enough from Pirates against Darcy Ward and the Robins to keep his current crop together.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “I have not spoken to anybody about joining the team yet and if anything were to happen, it wouldn’t be until August.

“The new averages could give us the slightest of room for manoeuvre and, with 0.18 extra , we would effectively be looking at any rider not performing.

“We have another important home match against Swindon coming up and that gives us the opportunity to check everyone is hitting form at the right time.

“The options are riders that possibly might like to come and are currently not riding in British speedway. There could be an opportunity if I decided to take that route but I wanted to see the guys against Wolves and then, of course, we have next week.”

Ford said he had not directed any ultimatums at individual riders on the back of a meek surrender of a 12-point lead at Wolverhampton on Monday but those in the firing line would be aware of the pitfalls of not performing in the coming weeks.

“Occasionally you drop a hint to a rider,” he added. “They are not silly. They would have seen my words over the past week and known we were very disappointed in one or two of them.

“I know it is not for the lack of trying but sadly, we are in a results business and I cannot put personalities and friendships above winning.

“You take an awful lot into consideration. You don’t just lay someone off for having a bad month because they show commitment and loyalty by joining you in the first place and if you start to do that, no one would ever ride for you.

“But the people that pay the wages want a winning team and we have to do everything in our power to achieve that.”

August averages: M Janowski 8.80, C Holder 7.78, D Watt 6.41, D North 5.86, K Gomolski 4.97.