(SPEEDWAY 1)COVENTRY manager Alun Rossiter says Poole will provide a huge threat to his side's chances of completing their amazing charge to the play-offs.The league leaders visit Brandon in a critical fixture on Thursday, with the Bees needing to register their eighth win in nine and hope that Lakeside miss out at Swindon. Rossiter's side have to make up two league points on the Hammers.Poole have indicated that their choice of play-off opposition would be Lakeside if available, but they would select Peterborough if Coventry replace the Hammers in the top-four.Rossiter said: "Poole aren't top and haven't absolutely battered everyone this season for no reason. They've got a great side, and I'm sure they won't want us to be in the play-offs."They will get their riders fired up to win at our place, because I don't think anyone wants to take Coventry on at the moment in a play-off situation.  We've got to get on with our job and win the meeting."(SPEEDWAY 2)SWINDON boss Ronnie Russell knows his side can play a pivotal role in the race for the play-offs - as they face fourth-placed Lakeside at Blunsdon on Thursday.The Hammers can hold on to their position with an away win, but defeat will leave them vulnerable to Coventry.Russell said: "Lakeside will be targeting their second Blunsdon victory of the season on Thursday. I'm confident we can repel their charge and I'm expecting a strong performance from the Robins' squad."We demonstrated terrific form at Lakeside last week and shone in the face of adversity. We're now riding for pride and I want the Swindon boys to contribute fifteen heats of speedway that the supporters will thoroughly enjoy."Lakeside owner Stuart Douglas meanwhile, admits his side need to step up their game if they are to challenge for honours.He said: "Our team, on current form, is not strong enough for the play-off challenge although we had ridden so well earlier in the season to put us in the picture. The last two home meetings represent the kind of low we are not used to these days, but I know Jon (Cook) will do everything possible to re-shape, and re-motivate the riders to give the Hammers fans something to shout about once again."(SPEEDWAY 3)BERWICK have handed exciting Polish rider Grzegorz Strozyk a team place for the rest of the season after an 11-point haul as a trialist last weekend.Strozyk will come into the Bandits side as a replacement for the seriously injured Adrian Rymel, who has now been transferred to a specialist spinal unit in Glasgow.A Berwick spokesman said: "We had the option of going with guest riders atNo.1 for the rest of the year, but we prefer to have our own men out there on track wherever possible. Grzeg was available on the doorstep, so we said let's give him a chance."Strozsyk is an ambitious young man - when his Polish club Wanda Krakow finished their season a couple of weeks ago, he packed two bikes into his van and drove to the UK begging races from as many British clubs as would let him ride trials after their matches."Meanwhile Rymel will undergo an operation on Wednesday to adjust the broken area of his neck. The Czech star also suffered severe damage to the right side of his spinal cord, although he does have feeling down the right side of his body.(FIXTURES) THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 9:SKY SPORTS ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Poole 7.30, Ipswich v Belle Vue 7.30, Peterborough v Eastbourne 7.30, Swindon v Lakeside 7.30 TWEED/TEES TROPHY 2nd leg: Redcar v Berwick 7.30 NORTHERN RIDERS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sheffield 7.45FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10:PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Stoke 7.30NATIONAL LEAGUE: Scunthorpe v Newport 7.30CHALLENGE: Weymouth v Bristol 7.15WESTERNAPOLIS: Plymouth 7.30