Matt Ford has warned patched-up Poole Pirates will need to “up their game” to overcome a flying Wolverhampton outfit tonight (7.30).

Wolves maintained their 100 per cent start to the Elite League season by crushing Pirates 55-35 on Monday as the visitors posted some meagre scores.

Hans Andersen came away with 13 points but the rest flattered to deceive and with Bjarne Pedersen, Kyle Newman and Adam Ellis all ruled out, the Wimborne Road chief wants more from his regular riders.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “Missing Kyle and Adam on the same night will leave us with a certain amount of vulnerability.

“We really need Chris Holder, Krzysztof Buczkowski and Brady Kurtz to up their game after what could be deemed disappointing performances at Wolverhampton.

“It is not happening for Chris on the away tracks at the moment. It was a surprise to me, and I am sure to many others, to see him pick up just three points after doing so well in the Grand Prix. It is a concern.

“Chris is experienced enough to know he needs to perform better to achieve anything this year and I want everyone to up their game to support Hans, who seems to be leading from the front.”

Meanwhile, Ford insisted there had been no second thoughts over Bjarne Pedersen’s return in place of Davey Watt despite the Dane’s two-point haul at Monmore Green.

“Bjarne had a meeting he will want to forget,” he added. “It was a baptism of fire against a competitive team and the first time he has had to ride a small track for almost a year.

“It was not the easiest of debuts and he did look out of sorts. It is going to take a little while for him to adjust but I have no real worries about that, I know it will happen for him.”

Pedersen rides for Danish outfit Holsted tonight, the first of three Poole meetings he will miss due to fixture clashes.

“We have managed to bring that down from eight,” Ford explained. “We have moved two of our dates and he is missing three for his Danish club.”