NO COMPLAINTS FROM PIRATES

POOLE manager Neil Middeditch had to be satisfied with two trophies out of three after their BSN Series hopes were dashed by Redcar on Friday.

The Pirates were strong favourites to complete the Treble at Championship level for the second year running, but they were unable to overturn a two-point deficit from the first leg back on their own track.

A key turning point came in Heat 10 when the home side were on a 5-1 which would have put them six points ahead on aggregate, only for Tobias Thomsen to crash heavily within yards of the chequered flag. The Dane was taken to hospital for checks on his neck.

Middleditch said: “Trophy number 34 will have to wait until next year, but fair play to Redcar.

“I’m not making any excuses, Redcar were the better team tonight and they deserved to win, but obviously that race when we lost Toby when we had a dead cert 5-1 really unsettled us.

“Their manager Gavin (Parr) said before the start of the meeting that we had stopped them at every corner – knocked them out of the play-offs, beat them in the Knockout Cup, but they rose to the occasion tonight and I congratulate them for doing so.

“We have all had a fantastic season here at Poole this season. Many teams would be happy to get one trophy and we have got two, so we should feel proud on that score.”

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