JASON Doyle has given Pirates boss Neil Middleditch “a 100 per cent assurance” he is fully fit as he returns from injury to line up in tonight’s crunch play-off final at Coventry (7.30pm).

Runaway Elite League leaders Poole head for Brandon to take on fourth-placed Bees knowing they can’t afford any passengers in the first clash of the two-legged contest.

Doyle only scored one paid two in the Dorset side’s disappointing 53-42 league reverse at the East Midlands venue on September 9.

Then, after failing to score in Pirates’ fighting 44½-44½ draw at Wolves in the play-off semi just days later, the Aussie was forced to sit out Poole’s last two meetings with a dislocated shoulder problem.

Doyle, who missed most of the 2009 season with an injury to the same shoulder, aggravated it in a moto-cross fall.

So, Castle Cover Pirates number eight Gary Havelock was put on standby to fill in for the Aussie at Coventry.

But Middleditch said: “Jason phoned me yesterday to say he’d had a run out at Newport and that the practice went okay.

“His shoulder feels 100 per cent okay, which is great news.

“Newport’s track would be a very good test for his shoulder, so I’m absolutely confident he can do the job for us tonight.

“He’s produced some very good performances this season and, hopefully, he can continue that tonight and in the second leg at home on October 4.”

Middleditch, who saw Doyle score seven in Poole’s mammoth 54-39 league triumph at Coventry in April, added: “Jason didn’t have a practice at Lakeside on Friday as planned.

“I think he was trying to rest his shoulder for as long as he could before trying it out.

“Yesterday, I said to him ‘be honest with me because I’ve already told Havvy to get his bikes ready for Monday’.

“I said to Doyley ‘I don’t want this to jeopardise our chances’ and he gave me a 100 per cent assurance he was happy with his shoulder.

“He seemed quite bubbly that he can now take his place at Coventry.

“Let’s hope we see the seven-point Doyley at Brandon because he’s fully capable of getting that type of score again.”

Middleditch admitted he was relieved Chris Holder escaped injury when he fell heavily in the Italian Grand Prix on Saturday, especially as the Aussie spearheads Poole’s team at Coventry.

Pirates’ team manager said: “I haven’t had a chance to speak with Chris yet, but he rode again later on Saturday and although he took a big whack to his arm, hopefully it’s nothing that will affect his form tonight.

“People have asked me ‘how many points would you be happy to lose by tonight’ and I’ve told them I’m never happy to lose.

“I feel we can recover eight points at home, but any more would be tough. But we’re going there to win, that’s our main objective tonight.”

Coventry: 1 Krzysztof Kasprzak, 2 Richard Sweetman, 3 Ben Barker, 4 Edward Kennett, 5 Chris Harris, 6 Lewis Bridger, 7 Przemyslaw Pawlicki.

Pirates: 1 Chris Holder, 2 Darcy Ward, 3 Artur Mroczka, 4 Bjarne Pedersen, 5 Davey Watt, 6 Leon Madsen, 7 Jason Doyle.