POOLE boss Neil Middleditch believes his Pirates side need to improve on their recent performances if they are to get anything from their clash with Swindon this evening.

The Wimborne Road side have won their last three meetings since losing to the Robins on August 23, beating Lakeside twice before overcoming Eastbourne at home on Wednesday night.

But Middleditch is concerned by the fact his side have been failing to convert race wins into heat advantages, and believes his side need to avoid too many last places if they are to beat the Robins in the battle for top spot.

“I cannot impress enough on the team that we need to be a one-to-seven outfit and avoid too many last places,” he said.

“In the last three meetings we have had plenty of race winners but I am concerned that we have not been converting too many into heat advantages.

“We need an extra depth against a solid side like Swindon.

“A win by seven points would give us three valuable league points, effectively worth double because that would deprive Swindon any points.

“However, looking at the bigger picture we could be meeting Swindon in the cup semi-finals and potentially in the play-offs themselves.

“Those meetings are all about aggregate scores and so we must start to turn the heat shares into gains.

“A win over Swindon will be a huge confidence boost for us, and the way the fixtures have fallen this in itself is almost like a cup final.”

Middleditch is also relishing the battle with his fellow former Pirates rider, Robins boss Alun Rossiter.

“I know Alun will have his boys fired up for this one and we just have to be that much more hungrier than they will be,” he said.

“As a league meeting this one is as big as it gets.

“They are hot on our heels and I know they want the top spot ahead of the play-offs as much as we do.

“There is plenty of scope for improvement in our side still and Monday is the night to begin delivering that.”