PROMOTER Matt Ford has warned Poole Pirates that any dropped home points would all but end their hopes of topping the Elite League table.

Coventry opened up a five-point gap at the summit courtesy of a 45-45 draw at Lakeside on Monday, boosting their hopes of being able to pick their opponents in the end-of-season play-offs.

Bees have completed one more fixture than Pirates but the adversaries each have five meetings left on home shale – including double-headers against a resurgent Swindon.

Poole kick off their quintet against the Darcy Ward-inspired Robins tonight (7.30pm) and Ford is adamant his troops have no margin for error.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “Without a shadow of doubt, the ascendancy is now Coventry’s. To a degree, the top position is theirs to lose.

“Should Coventry win all their home meetings, we would have to pick up an away victory just to get close and that is based on the assumption they don’t go and win another one on the road.

“We both host Swindon twice which will be interesting but in our position now, we simply can’t have any slip-ups at home.

“I tried to explain to the boys that the loss at Wolves last Monday was much more than just a fixture. Had we won it, we would have been ahead going into the final stretch.

“There are no certainties and we haven’t given up by any means. I would prefer to finish top but sometimes not having to choose who to ride against can work for you in some respects.”