Live Speedway: Pirates can raid Lakeside

POOLE PIRATES look worth backing giving up four points when going to Lakeside to take on the Hammers in tonight's Elite League play-off first leg.

The Pirates finished with 28 points more than the Hammers in the regular season and won both times when they visited Essex,  48-42 in May and then 48-41 last month.

The Pirates will be boosted by the return to the side of Piotr Pawlicki and their powerful heat-leading trio of Chris Holder, Darcy Ward and Krzysztof Kasprzak will be difficult to beat. Kasprzak racked up 17 points on his last visit here.

The Hammers have done well to make the play-offs but have been dealt a blow tonight with Davey Watt missing due to kidney problems. Scott Nicholls has been booked as a replacement but with the club already operating rider replacement for Jonas Davidsson, there is considerable pressure on the rest of the team to raise their game.

Peter Karlsson will always give 100 per cent but will find it tough against ‘The Turbo Twins' as will the rest of his team-mates.

Lakeside will need to take a lead to Wimborne Road if they are to have any chance of progressing to the Final but it should be the Pirates fans cheering at end of the night.

Tonight's other intended play-off first leg between Birmingham and Swindon has been postponed to next Monday due to the inclement weather.

Recommendation
Poole -4
2pts 8-11 BetVictor