BELLE Vue must bounce back from a 'reality check' defeat at Arena Essex on Friday if they are to open their home Elite League campaign with a win over Poole tonight (7.30pm).

World champion Jason Crump makes an early return to the Channel M-sponsored Aces after his winter exit to the Pirates.

The Australian was almost unbeatable at Kirkmanshulme Lane last season and team boss Chris Morton wants his side to prove its strength in depth to counter the Crump threat.

That means an improvement on the display at Arena when they lost 58-34 to dispel the euphoria that followed the challenge match victory at Oxford.

Morton said: "I don't think anyone will win at Arena this season. They have a good team and a difficult track but we gave a disappointing performance, even though we did enough to make the score more respectable.

"It was a reality check after the Oxford win but we learned a lot. The core of the team have plenty of work to do but they know that."

The Aces have tried to bolster the overall strength of the side since Crump's departure and tonight is a severe test to see if they can overcome Poole's powerful cutting edge.

BELLE VUE: S Stead, R Fisher, J Screen, A Skornicki, K Laukkanen, K Doolan, J Wright.

POOLE: J Crump, E Kennett, B Pedersen, S Darkin, C Boyce, J Doyle, T Batchelor.

Tweet