PROMOTER Danny Ford believes Pirates’ top-of-the-table showdown against Leicester at Wimborne Road tomorrow will decipher the “lay of the land” in the SGB Championship for his side.

The Dorset outfit, currently 23 meetings unbeaten on home shale, will take on a Lions septet who currently top the standings with 31 points from 12 race nights.

Leicester got the better of Poole 48-42 at Beaumont Park back in April, but Ford is eager for his side to put on a “dominant” display at their home track.

He told the Daily Echo: “It’s going to be really, really exciting.

“This will properly give us the lay of the land and see where we stand in relation to the rest of the teams.

“Obviously, we ran Leicester very close at their home at the start of the season and we will be looking to put in a dominant display at home, like we have done thus far.

“At the end of the day, it always comes down to a two-legged affair and this will see how we stand.”

Pirates are currently second in the division, with Glasgow and Plymouth occupying third and fourth respectively.

The top six teams at the end of the season will battle in the play-offs, with the division’s top two heading straight to the semi-finals and the club in top spot selecting their opponent.

“I think the four teams you’ve mentioned – it’s a real toss-up,” said Ford, when asked about the current top sides.

“It’s so important now to keep your unbeaten home streaks going.

“None of the top four have actually lost at home in the league, although we did draw at Glasgow.

“That’s going to be vitally important and then whoever can pick up the most points on the road – I think between those top four, it’s going to be a right battle for the top two places.

“We have turned Wimborne Road into a proper fortress under this new era and we have no intention of stopping that.

“This season more than ever, I’d say it’s so important to win your home meetings. So many teams are strong at home and we want to go the season unbeaten at home.

“We don’t want anyone coming into our back yard and picking up points. That’s job number one and then whoever can pick up some points on the road will be in a good position come the play-offs.”