MATT Ford believes timing will play a crucial role in determining the winner of Pirates' play-off semi-final with Swindon.

The teams clash at Wimborne Road tomorrow (7.30pm) before Poole travel to face Alun Rossiter's side in the decisive second leg in a fortnight.

And Poole promoter Ford cited the example of the 2012 final as proving the influence of fortune on a play-off tie.

He told the Daily Echo: "It is about timing and destiny has a part to play.

"Alun has cited that he has been the catalyst for us not winning the championship on a couple of occasions before.

"When Swindon won in 2012, I believe Poole probably were the best team the week before the final.

"But in the week leading up to it we lost Darcy Ward and Piotr Pawlicki to injury and so lost our two trump cards and we took a convincing defeat."