PIRATES CHAMPIONS IN DORSET DRAMA

POOLE have retained the Cab Direct Championship after a dramatic conclusion to the Grand Final against Scunthorpe.

For the second season running the title decider went down to a Super Heat with aggregate scores level at 90-90 after the Pirates won 49-41 on the night.

The home side looked set to clinch the crown in Heat 14 only for Scorpions’ Michael Palm Toft to produce an inspired ride to win from the 15-metre handicap, and visiting skipper Josh Pickering then overtook Richard Lawson on the last lap of Heat 15 to ensure the tie was drawn overall.

The Super Heat saw Palm Toft relegated to the back by Lawson and Zach Cook, with the Scorpions claiming Cook had gone over the inner white line as he battled with Pickering, but the result stood as a 6-3 to the Pirates.

Lawson (12) and Cook (11+1) top scored in the regular meeting with reserve Kyle Newman contributing an important 10+1.

Pickering scored 12 for the Scorpions with Palm Toft on nine, whilst both teams lost a rider in the early stages as Scunthorpe reserve Nathan Ablitt suffered a shoulder injury in Heat 2, and Poole’s Lewis Kerr crashed out with a knock to the head in the next race.

Pirates promoter Matt Ford said: “That was some meeting and we got the result for all our fans who came out in force, but what a great, great meeting.

“The most difficult thing now is to repeat it again next year. We have already started piecing the team together.

“We know what we are doing and which way we are going, and I am sure we will be okay. But let’s enjoy this one right now.”

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Photo credit: TAYLOR LANNING