TEAM manager Gary Havelock insists Coventry can storm Pirates' fortress and bring back memories of 2009.

The Bees were the last team to beat Pirates twice at Wimborne Road in the same season and the 2014 play-off finalists teed up the chance to equal that league feat of six years ago when they triumphed 50-41 in Dorset in April.

And Havelock is relishing the chance to put one over his former club in tonight's top-of-the-table clash (7.30pm).

He told the Daily Echo: "It certainly would be an achievement to win twice at Poole. It's probably the most difficult away match of the season because they always have a competitive team.

"Having said that, we won there last year and we've already won there this year, and I certainly think we've got the tools to do the job. It's just about who turns up on the day.

"Going back to last season, the matches between Poole and Cov were pretty much all crackers.

"It always seems like there is some sort of incident or something goes on. It never seems to be straightforward. I'm sure when the fans are on their way home on Wednesday night, they will have been treated to another cracker of a meeting."

The previous Elite League encounter between the teams on June 1 ended in controversial circumstances with Neil Middleditch's side securing a 36-22 win at a rain-lashed Brandon after the action had been curtailed following heat 10.

The Bees subsequently launched a bid to restage the meeting and the matter is currently in the hands of the Speedway Control Bureau.

However, Havelock says tonight's fixture will be no more tense than usual off the back of the head-to-head earlier this month.

He added: "There is always an edge to Poole-Coventry meetings. I don't think what happened last time will make the meeting have any more or less of an edge.

"It's probably the two biggest teams in speedway if you look at the past 10 or 15 years in relation to titles won and finals made. They are always massive meetings and the boys always want to win them.

"We've got a great bunch of lads in our team and they don't take too much firing up. They know what they need to do and what their jobs are, and they know that when they are representing Coventry Speedway that we expect certain standards, certainly in terms of effort put in.

"All of our riders have bought into that ethic and we'll certainly approach it how we approach any other meeting – first and foremost to try and win."