GOOD Friday has now become the first date for Elite League fixtures this season – and defending champions Poole have a midday start at Wimborne Road.

The Pirates face Swindon, buoyed by their two-legged Elite Shield victory over Coventry despite No.1 Chris Holder missing the Brandon clash due to illness - whilst the Robins’ racing has so far been restricted to an abandoned inter-league challenge at Somerset last week.Poole promoter Matt Ford said: “The lads showed good character and they will need to do so again as we face a solid-looking Swindon side. “I am really hoping that we will be back to full strength and that Easter will start well for us and we can have our first league points on the board before we travel to Swindon on Sunday for the corresponding fixture.”Swindon skipper Jason Doyle said: “I’ve had a great couple of years and I can only try and maintain that this year. I’ve been training hard and all my equipment is up to a good standard, so it’s just down to me now to do the business out on track.“The last two years I haven’t even made the play-offs which has cut my season short. That hasn’t been ideal so hopefully being at Swindon we can get into the top four and be in the mix.”Local pride is at stake as well as Elite League points as Coventry face Leicester at Brandon in the first of two clashes in 24 hours between the clubs.The Lions are yet to win at the home of their Midlands rivals since joining the Elite League in 2014, but Bees boss Gary Havelock is taking nothing for granted.Havelock said: “I know people will say Leicester are outsiders, but my view has always been to approach any meeting the same, going back to when I rode myself.“I will be drilling it into the lads that you can’t ever be complacent. When you get complacent, that’s when things start to go wrong. We will approach this match all fired up, all guns blazing, and let’s see what we can do.”Leicester manager Norrie Allan said: “There are no easy matches in the Elite League and Coventry is one of the hardest places to visit. But we have a team that is experienced with all-round strength. “Both Josh Auty and Sebastian Ulamek know the track having ridden for Coventry in the past and Grzegorz Walasek produced his best away performances there. So we go there with a positive mind.”Lakeside and King’s Lynn will be the busiest Elite League clubs on Good Friday as they are set for two meetings on the same day.The sides meet at Purfleet at 1pm before heading back to the Adrian Flux Arena for an 8pm start in a meeting re-arranged from Thursday due to poor weather.Lakeside co-promoter Jon Cook said: “Obviously every club sets out to be in the play-offs, and if you don’t make it then your season is a failure.“It’s been too long since we were there, so like everyone we are aiming for a top four finish and we believe we can achieve it.”In the League Cup, Somerset and Rye House know there could be no room for error as they meet at the Oaktree Arena in what could become a two-team group pending any resolution to the problems at Plymouth.The Rebels are waiting on the fitness of Jake Allen, who crashed heavily last week and was taken to hospital with back pains. Manager Garry May said: “It goes without saying that we will be looking to get our league cup campaign under way with a home win to bag those three group points.“As far as Jake’s condition is concerned, we will give him as long as possible to see if he is fit enough to ride on Friday, and it might well be that we do not make a decision until the day itself.”Rockets boss Peter Schroeck said: “It is actually good that the match has come forward by a week. All the boys are buzzing after our first match, and this will help to keep them on a high.“We are going there to give them a good fight - that’s all you can ask for – and hopefully we will come away with the right result.”The National Trophy gets underway with reigning league champions Birmingham facing Stoke in the first fixture of the Northern group.The Brummies use rider-replacement for the unavailable Zach Wajtknecht, whilst Stoke are led by heat-leaders Ben Wilson and Tony Atkin who both make their returns to the club.Birmingham owner Tony Mole said: “We would like to start as we mean to go on and with the National Trophy being a relatively short format of a group with just three teams in it, a win would certainly be important.“It’s a first real chance for supporters to see their new-look side on the track and hopefully they’ll be cheered on in large numbers.”Stoke boss Malcolm Vasey said: “It’s a very tough match to open with for us with a couple of riders that they’ve retained from last season and they’ve made some good signings over the winter. “Having said that, I thought our riders looked excellent at our press and practice day on Wednesday, and we are going there to give it our best shot and see what happens.”Eastbourne and Kent are also set for a hectic day of racing as the sides meet twice, starting at Arlington at midday before returning to Central Park for the second leg at 6.30pm.The Eagles expect to have strength-in-depth, with promoter Martin Dugard praising newcomer Charley Powell for holding back from racing last year in order to join the club as a 3.00 rider for 2016.Meanwhile Kent’s David Mason makes a rapid return to Arlington having raced for the Eagles early last year before suffering injury.Dugard said: “Like many clubs in this year’s National League we have very inexperienced reserves, just as we did last year.“For us, that was a huge success as Kelsey Dugard upped his average and Georgie Wood became a first-year star. We hope Charley Powell and Nick Phillips can step up and score vital points for us.”