PIRATES ARE PLAY-OFF BOUND

DEFENDING champions Poole confirmed their place in the 2026 play-offs with another resounding home win, defeating Oxford 60-30 at Wimborne Road.

The Pirates reached the 60-point mark for the third time in their Cab Direct Championship campaign and they are now six points clear at the top of the table.

Captain Zach Cook (14) and reserve Kyle Newman (10+4) were both unbeaten from their programmed rides, although their maximum hopes were ended by Cheetahs skipper Sam Masters in Heat 15, whilst Lewis Kerr also reached double figures with ten.

Masters, with 14 points, contributed almost half of his side’s total on his own as the Cheetahs completed their league schedule, and they now require Workington to lose their final three fixtures if they are to avoid the wooden spoon.

Cook said: “I had a couple of good races with Sam, and it was nice to do him twice from the back.

“In the last one there he knew where I was going to be and so he shut the door, and then I knew I couldn’t carry the momentum, so he wrecked it for me in that one, but it was nice to have those races.

“Hopefully we can carry some momentum into the remaining meetings as they are going to be the big ones.”

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Photo credit: LIAM COCKWELL