POOLE Pirates promoter Matt Ford has sounded out an ominous warning to their Elite League rivals: “We’re hitting form when it matters.”

Birthday boy Ford was speaking after watching Poole cruise to an emphatic 55-38 win over King’s Lynn at Saddlebow Road tonight.

The Dorset club’s fifth victory on the bounce came just 24 hours after they had trounced the Norfolk outfit 65-25 at Wimborne Road.

Poole, bidding to win the title for an unprecedented fourth year in succession, closed the gap on leaders Belle Vue to five points and with two matches in hand.

Two of second-placed Poole’s final nine matches are at Belle Vue, while they also travel to Wolverhampton, who this week enticed double world champion Tai Woffinden back to the Elite League.

Danish duo Hans Andersen and Bjarne Pedersen led the Poole charge at King’s Lynn, the pair both winning their first four races before seeing their respective hopes of a maximum dashed in the final heat.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “It was a great performance by the whole team and everybody rode incredibly well. Brady Kurtz was the lowest points scorer with five and Krzys Buczkowski was again Mr Excitement.

“He makes life difficult for himself but still chipped in with six-paid-seven so everybody did their job. The two Danes, in particular, were quite outstanding. Bjarne is looking much more like his old self now and Hans is recapturing some form which is really encouraging.”

Ford added: “There are changes being made in British speedway now and, clearly, Tai Woffinden going to Wolverhampton is going to make them stronger. It is a very good move from them and one which is going to put them in the mix and give them a tremendous boost.

“We also feel as if we are hitting form when it matters and the team seems to be gelling. Bjarne is making a difference to us.

“The task is made more difficult and Belle Vue are riding incredibly well. I still think they, potentially, have the capabilities to come top with ourselves and Wolverhampton battling it out for second.

“But who knows? We have yet to go to Belle Vue and it’s the type of track that all our guys should like. Chris Holder and Brady both rode it in the World Cup and both had success there so we know those guys have got it and there is no reason why the others can’t get going just as well.”