TEAM boss Neil Middleditch urged Pirates to look past the threat of Somerset’s Jason Doyle in the SGB Premiership play-off semi-final and insisted: “One man can’t win a meeting.”

Pirates will hope to keep alive their hopes of an eighth league title in 16 seasons when they face a Rebels side spearheaded by the world champion in 11 days’ time.

Aussie star Doyle has a superb record against his old club, scoring 76 paid 80 across six clashes between the teams this season.

The 32-year-old bagged a full maximum against Poole at the Oaktree Arena last month and showed his class around Wimborne Road when he won the Premiership Riders’ Championship in May.

More than a quarter of Somerset’s points against Pirates this year have come from Doyle but Middleditch believes that even if the former Leicester man brings his best form to the table once more, Poole’s riders can capitalise elsewhere across both legs, the second being at Wimborne Road on Monday, October 1.

He told the Daily Echo: “We don’t have a Jason Doyle – someone who is going to score 14 or 15 points.

“No disrespect to my boys because they are capable but we don’t have that week in, week out.

“We can let Doyley do his thing and if we beat the second-string riders then we can still win the meeting.

“They can’t win it with just Doyley, although he is a huge factor. If he gets away, let him get on with it and keep it 3-3 in that race.

“You must not get 5-1s against you, that’s the difference. One man can’t win a meeting.”

Pirates rounded off their regular-season campaign with a resounding 55-35 victory over visitors Wolverhampton on Wednesday.

The Dorset club’s involvement in the play-offs capped a remarkable resurgence following a disappointing start to the season, which saw them at the base of the table two months ago.

Middleditch said: “On July 4 we were bottom of the league, down and out and going nowhere.

“The boys have done remarkably well to get where we are and I think the fans appreciate that.

“A lesser team would have rolled over but we didn’t. Matt (Ford) made the changes and we got to the semi-finals which is a great achievement. The Pirates never give up.

“I feel my boys can do it against Somerset but we need to be firing as a seven-man unit, that is the key factor. If we do that, we can beat anybody.

“If anyone comes up short, we will struggle."

Regular-season table toppers King’s Lynn chose to face Belle Vue in the other semi-final.

“It’s a tough one to call,” said Middleditch.

“Belle Vue are good round their own circuit but were pushed by Somerset on Wednesday. It’s not a foregone conclusion.”

The Aces and the Stars lock horns in Manchester on Monday, September 24 with the second leg due to take place on the same night as Poole's decisive clash with Somerset.