TEAM boss Neil Middleditch has urged patched-up Poole Pirates to push King's Lynn all the way for the Elite League’s top spot.

Pirates nudged past the long-standing leaders with a maximum four-point haul at Coventry on Monday but Stars returned to the summit with last night's 59-35 thumping of Lakeside.

Should the Wimborne Road outfit pocket another four-timer at rock-bottom Leicester tonight (7.30pm), the Stars would need at least a draw from their last fixture – Monday’s trip to Belle Vue – to finish top.

The first-placed team gets to choose their opponents in the play-off semi-final and Middleditch is keen to see his injury-hit team grasp any advantage they can.

Poole’s man in the pits told the Daily Echo: “We’re certainly not coming off the gas now and if we can take top spot it will be a massive boost just at the right time.

“Coventry had been in good form but our guests performed well and we looked a solid unit despite being depleted.

“It’s out of our hands but we’re going to Leicester to win and win well. It’s always good to finish top, it gives us a psychological boost and shows the intent that we have to fight for our title.”

On the title race, Middleditch added: “Swindon are the danger team at the moment, they are in really good form while we seem to have run into a brick wall in terms of available riders.

“King's Lynn are without Niels-Kristian Iversen and now have uncertainty surrounding Kenneth Bjerre. We’ll have to wait and see what happens and discuss who want if we manage to come out on top.

“There are four very good teams in it and we’re going to have to race against strong sides whatever happens."

Former Poole skipper Davey Watt will replace the suspended Darcy Ward at the top of the order while Swindon duo Dakota North and Nick Morris fill in for injured duo Shamek Pawlicki and Vaclav Milik.

Pirates: (from) Watt (guest), Grajczonek, Janowski, North (guest), Morris (guest), Compton, Newman. Team manager: Neil Middleditch.

Leicester: (from) Doyle, Klindt, Stead, Bates, Clegg, plus up to two unconfirmed guests. Team manager: Norrie Allan.