ADVANTAGE PIRATES IN CUP SEMI

POOLE put one foot firmly into the Cab Direct KO Cup Final with a thumping 60-29 win over holders Scunthorpe in the first leg of their semi-final.

Tom Brennan raced to a 14+1 paid maximum for the Pirates whilst Richard Lawson added 13+1 and captain Ben Cook 10+1 in a dominant display which saw the Scorpions limited to three race wins.

The home side overcame the loss of Tobias Thomsen after a heavy crash in his second ride, and reserves Sam Hagon (7+2) and Vinnie Foord (6+1) both made significant contributions. Jake Allen top-scored for the visitors with 7.

Poole promoter Dan Ford said: “We were mindful of the forecast of rain so we hadn’t watered the track as much as we really would have liked to, and then the rain didn’t come too heavy and the track just dried out a little bit.

“Under the circumstances I felt the track rode quite well, certainly our boys found it. I can’t believe the size of lead that they have built up.

“I feel Scunny are one of the best teams in the league and to be going there with a 31-point lead, whenever that may be, is a fantastic effort.”

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Photo credit: ANTHONY BURCHELL