POOLE Pirates promoter Matt Ford sees no need to start reshuffling his pre-season play-off predictions in the wake of an unpredictable start to the campaign.

Ford’s assertion that the Wimborne Road outfit will be joined by Belle Vue, Swindon and Wolverhampton appears to be holding water despite Lakeside leading the early standings.

The Hammers, who struggled alongside Wolves last season, have completed more meetings than anyone else, while fifth-placed Belle Vue are playing catch up with fixtures following their early-season track woes at the new National Speedway Stadium.

Addressing the start to the Elite League, Ford told the Daily Echo: “I still don’t think the four I picked at the start of the year will be far wrong.

“Lakeside are top but Jon Cook (co-promoter) would be honest with you and say they pinched an away victory when Leicester had their well-performing reserve Paul Starke unavailable.

“Had they not won that, I think that would certainly have made the league table more balanced.

“Perhaps they should consider themselves fairly fortunate but good luck to them, sides should not look gift horses in the mouth and as expected, they have been going very well on their home track.”

And although some of the chief protagonists have been a surprise to Ford, he reckons Poole are still perfectly placed to sustain a challenge, particularly when their run of niggly injuries ends.

“I think certain clubs and certain riders have improved more than some people expected,” he added.

“Max Fricke (Belle Vue) and Sam Masters (Wolves) are the two examples, they have jumped up and to a degree, so has Justin Sedgmen (Swindon). They have been incredibly good riders.

“I don’t think Wolverhampton have suffered an injury yet, while we have only tracked our full team on a handful of occasions.

“Only Hans Andersen has been ever present so far and that in itself makes life difficult. I firmly believe the best is yet to come from our side.”