PIRATES chief Matt Ford has warned that Ipswich will be "no pushovers" in the BSPA Knockout Cup final, second leg, at Wimborne Road on Sunday Octber 31.

The Witches, aiming to deny Poole RIAS a double of Elite League championship and cup winners, lead 48-42 from the first leg at Foxhall last week.

With former Pirates duo Scott Nicholls and Hans Andersen both capable of scoring big points at Poole for Ipswich, Ford is predicting a tight battle as his side look to retrieve their deficit and win overall on aggregate.

If the Dorset club succeed, it would mean they would have secured a double 'double' - completing back-to-back league titles and cup victories.

Ford believes Pirates can pull off aggregate victory, but at the same time he admitted: "People are expecting us to do it because we have been so dominant this season.

"But Ipswich are going to be no pushovers whatsoever and we will have a real battle on our hands to try and secure the trophy.

"Yes we are only six points behind and everyone knows that we can make that deficit up in two races. But we can also go another six points behind in two races as well.

"Having said that, we firmly believe we can win the cup, but so do Ipswich. We know it is going to be hard. We have a job to do on Sunday, the same job we have had to do all year.

"Everyone needs to be at the top of their game for us to carry off the cup.

"It would be a fitting tribute to this team for all of our riders to ride to their full ability and cap a great season for Poole by winning another trophy."

Ford added that recording a back-to-back double 'double' would be "very special for everyone connected with the club, for all the fans, the riders, the sponsors and the management.

"It is what dreams are made of to win trophies like this as we have done over the past two years.

"I just hope that we can continue the run, in particular because there is such a fantastic buzz about speedway on the south coast at the moment, with so many people talking about the media coverage we receive and what a great sport we really have."

There is still plenty of activity in the Pirates camp over the next couple of days before the showpiece climax to the season on Sunday.

Ford said: "Tonight we stage our dinner, dance and presentation night at the Bournemouth International Centre and tomorrow we will be parading the Elite League trophy around the outside of the pitch at Dean Court before AFC Bournemouth's football match against Barnsley.

"All of the riders will be at the BIC and at Dean Court and we are really looking forward to going to the Cherries game.

"Cherries chairman Peter Phillips is coming to our dinner and he will also be at our final. It shows the ties between the two clubs are just getting stronger and stronger all the time.

"That's why I want to urge all the Cherries fans at their game on Saturday to go to Poole speedway on Sunday and see our boys in action.

"Being on Sunday it gives whole families the chance to turn out in force because the children are still on school holidays.

"There is a lot of talk in the town about the meeting. It is fantastic that Poole as a town and as a team are in a cup final again.

"Anyone who hasn't been to speedway before, the Cherries fans for instance, should come and try it on Sunday. I promise you won't be disappointed.

"It is going to be a cracking match. Let's finish our season in style and hopefully put some more silverware in our trophy cabinet."