Despite a rousing end to the regular season, the city side's fate is out of their hands. Swales' men have to continue their fine run of September successes tonight when hosting rock-bottom Wolverhampton and then hope that Belle Vue fail to beat Coventry on Monday.

Panthers' plight means that tonight's Showground clash against the basement boys (7.30pm start) is likely to act as a dress rehearsal for that relegation play-off, but Swales is adamant the high-pressure scenario of riding for Elite League survival in two meetings early next month should not fill fans with concern.

He admitted: "I certainly wouldn't be worrying about the relegation play-offs more than I would any other meeting.

"I would much rather not be in the bottom two but it is out of our hands and we will have to take whatever comes our way.

"We have been riding very well lately and the riders are high on confidence.

"What is essential is that we end the regular season with a good result against Wolverhampton for two reasons.

"Firstly we need to lay down our marker in case we meet them in the play-off and secondly we need to get the points on the board to take us above Belle Vue and put all the pressure onto them on Monday."

In a season littered with disapointments on the track and damaging circumstances off it, finding reasons for Panthers' lowly league position would not exactly be difficult.

But Swales believes one particular result could prove more costly than the rest.

A shock 54-39 home defeat at the hands of Eastbourne at the beginning of this month could well be the difference between securing safety or being marooned in the danger-zone.

"It is hypothetical at the moment but if we do finish in the bottom two, that result against Eastbourne could prove to have been our undoing," added Swales.

"That was the only time our current team, that has been riding so well lately, had an off-night. But we can't alter what has already happened and we have to concentrate on moving forward.

"If that means we are safe at 10pm on Monday night - great. If not, we will have to prove ourselves by beating Wolverhampton and securing our survival that way."

Wolves roll into Alwalton in dire form. They haven't won a single Elite League meeting this month, but they do possess plenty of danger-man around the Showground.

Niels Kristian Iversen and Jesper B. Monberg were Panthers title heroes back in 2006 while another Dane, Morten Risager, was recruited by the men from Monmore Green after being axed by the city side last month.

Question marks surround the future of former Panthers whizzkid David Howe who was left out of the Monmore side for a Monday meeting against Birmingham. Howe has been in dire form lately.