MATT Ford admitted he had been left disappointed by Pirates’ failure to snatch an away point from Swindon on Monday.

The Poole Coastal Aluminium promoter looked on as Pirates’ main title rivals inflicted only a second league defeat of the season on the Elite front-runners.

And Ford believes his men will need to up their game against a strong-looking Peterborough outfit at Wimborne Road tonight (7.30pm).

Ford told the Echo: “I was disappointed we weren’t able to bring back a league point from Blunsdon on Monday.

“With Krzysztof Kasprzak out injured, I always knew it was going to be a big ask for us to beat Swindon on their own patch.

“But with us having been within four points after heat 12, it was a shame we couldn’t see the meeting through for a losing away point.”

Chris Holder , returning from injury following spills at Wimborne Road two weeks ago and in the Croatian Grand Prix the following Saturday, registered his lowest five-ride league return of the season by scoring just paid seven at the Abbey Stadium.

Ford added: “I’m not sure if Chris was still feeling it after those heavy crashes he was involved in or whether he just wasn’t comfortable with the wet track conditions, but he would have been disappointed with that return.

“But all riders have off nights and Chris and Darcy Ward have fewer than most. They have been incredible all season so it’s very difficult for me to knock them.”

Pirates: 1 Chris Holder, 2 Ricky Kling, 3 Darcy Ward, 4 Dennis Andersson, 5 Krzysztof Kasprzak, 6 Ludvig Lindgren, 7 Linus Eklof.

Panthers: 1 Kenneth Bjerre, 2 R/R for Olly Allen, 3 Michael Jepsen-Jensen, 4 Linus Sundstrom, 5 Krzysztof Buczkowski, 6 Jason Bunyan, 7 Norbert Kosciuch.