Lanham has ridden for the Essex club since 1998

Lakeside Hammers captain Leigh Lanham says they need to maximise their home advantage against Poole in their first leg of the Elite League play-off final.

The two sides meet at the Arena Essex Raceway on Monday before heading down to Wimborne Road a week later.

Lanham told BBC Essex a significant points haul at home will be crucial.

"It's going to be important to get off to a good start and try and bang in as many points as we can and to build some kind of lead."

He added: "We're going to be facing the top team in the league and it's going to be a tough one."

Lanham is racing in his 11th season with the club but this is the first time he, and the club, has ever reached the play-off final.

"It's special to me and it's special to the whole club," said the 31-year-old.

"We've never really had any kind of success, so we're in that final now and it's all to play for."