PIRATES HAPPY WITH PICKS

POOLE promoter Dan Ford says the Pirates have taken a joint decision to select Edinburgh and Scunthorpe in their play-off group.

The defending champions were top of the table after the regular fixture schedule giving them the right to choose their opponents in the next stage – leaving the other group to feature Oxford, Glasgow and Redcar.

Ford said: “As a unit we discussed our options and we have chosen Edinburgh and Scunthorpe. We had aggregate victories over both those clubs, although of all the teams that visited us in the league Scunthorpe achieved the highest score.

“But that was early in the season and I feel we have blended into a much better side since then, as we saw when we went to their place and won.

“I have to say that, on current form, the teams we have avoided are in an extremely tough group, but that was our reward for finishing top in that we had the choice.

“Nevertheless, everything is reset now and we go again with the target of winning the group, starting on Wednesday night, and I hope that our fans turn out in good numbers and give us the vocal encouragement that is so important and appreciated by the riders.”