CAUTIOUS promoter Matt Ford has warned Pirates are a long way from securing an SGB Premiership play-off spot.

Spurred on by recent signings Chris Harris, Frederik Jakobsen and Nicolai Klindt, Poole roared into third following Monday’s trouncing of Leicester.

The Wimborne Road club will hope to further stake their claim for a top-four berth when they take on visitors King’s Lynn tomorrow (7.30pm).

But with the top six teams within six points of each other, Ford has underlined the importance of remaining grounded.

He told the Daily Echo: “Unquestionably, we are beginning to find form but there will still be banana skins along the way.

“You could pick any four from the current top six. While we have put ourselves firmly in the picture, by no means am I counting my chickens.

“There will be twists and turns right up until the cut-off. My feet are firmly on the ground and I’m not saying we won’t slip up again. I think it will be that form of campaign.

“While we are definitely a much better team than we were at the start of the year, I still think every team has the potential to slip up.

“It is the most open championship I can remember. It is so strange that we have two matches in hand on Swindon and that if we win them, we would go above them.

“It is a crazy situation considering that for the majority of the season we were languishing at the bottom.

“We have a good run now with three home meetings in a row.

“Fingers crossed we can start to build some form of home advantage, although we still have riders who haven’t ridden the track that much.

“It isn’t a track which scares people to come to. They all give it a blast because it’s the type of track where people can have a real go.”

Pirates have nine meetings left, three of which are away. Those fixtures are against Somerset, leaders Swindon and King’s Lynn, all top-four sides as matter stand.

Ford said: “We only lost by two at King’s Lynn but the defeats at Somerset and Swindon were a bit harder to swallow.

“We are a different team now but I watched Swindon on television the week before last and their gating is outstanding. When we take them on, we are going to have to be at the top of our game.

“That said, they are not very keen on their own track at this point in time. Nick Morris has made his feelings clear, as has Troy Batchelor.

“Who knows what will happen when we go there? Perhaps they will have things right but perhaps it will be the same and we can take advantage.”

Pirates will be without flying Danish duo Nicolai Klindt and Frederik Jakobsen for the visit of the Robins on Wednesday, August 22 due to commitments in their homeland.

Klindt could also miss the home fixture against King’s Lynn seven days later.

Ford said: “I’m sure Swindon will be delighted to be coming to us when two of our riders are missing.”