DANNY Ford has labelled this evening’s meeting with Oxford Cheetahs as “the biggest fixture of our season so far”.

League leaders Poole Pirates host the only club who could snatch top spot away from them, Oxford currently sitting third with meetings in hand.

The two clubs drew 45-45 in the reverse fixture, meaning if Poole seal victory at Wimborne Road, it would all but guarantee top spot going into the play-offs.

Pirates, unbeaten in 42 competitive home meetings since June 2022, will be looking to bounce back after suffering a first league loss of the season on Friday night, going down 48-42 at second-placed Scunthorpe.

“Obviously disappointing that record has come to an end,” promoter Ford told the Daily Echo.

“It would have been quite something to go the entire league campaign unbeaten.

“But I think Scunthorpe and Oxford are the two toughest places to go.

“They’re both incredibly strong teams at home and we can take heart in the fact we pushed Scunthorpe all the way.

“But we picked up the aggregate point, which was always our first aim.”

Discussing the challenge posed by Oxford tonight, Ford added: “Any team led by Sam Masters and Scott Nicholls, when those two are coming, they’re going to be in the mix.

“Those guys are very good everywhere they go.

“Our job is just to get the win by any margin, which would give us the aggregate point.

“Hopefully we can do that in emphatic fashion and send out a message to everyone we’re in form coming into the play-offs.”

Poole Pirates reserve Tobias Thomsen (Image: Richard Crease)

He continued: “I think at the top end it’s very balanced. Perhaps in the middle order we’re slightly stronger.

“So I think a lot of it is going to come down to reserve, as it was against Scunthorpe, to be honest. They scored 10 points at reserve and we scored three.

“Obviously on home shale we’ll be hoping for a better return at reserve.

“Tobias (Thomsen) being at reserve, he’s got the beating of the majority of younger guys. But then Jacob Hook coming in for Vinnie (Foord), under less than ideal circumstances, hopefully he can deliver for us.

“I think the battles at reserve are going to be key for us and we certainly want to be picking up a double-figure score between them.”

Asked if he sees Oxford as the main threats to Poole winning the title, Ford said: “I think between Oxford and Scunthorpe, they’re certainly the biggest challengers for us, at this stage.

“All three of us have got incredibly strong home track advantages.

“Then it’s just about keeping it as close as you can away. I think that’s what it’s going to come down to.

“Oxford, for us, we’re treating it as the biggest fixture of our season so far.

“If we win, it almost guarantees us top spot. As well as it being the local derby and all of that, there’s certainly a good rivalry and a good amount of banter building up between the supporters.

“It’s one we want to win and I’m expecting a big crowd, being the summer holidays.

“For us, we’re treating this one as a final.”

Pirates: Lawson, Hagon, B Cook, Z Cook, Brennan, Thomsen, Hook (guest).

Oxford: Masters, Heeps, Boughen, Jenkins, Nicholls, Killeen, Starke (guest).