PIRATES SEEK MAXIMUM BACKING

POOLE promoter Dan Ford has sent out a rallying cry to the club’s supporters – as they bid to avoid history repeating itself in the second leg of the Cab Direct Championship Grand Final.

The Pirates topped the regular league table last season but lost out to Glasgow in the decider having been unable to turn around a 14-point deficit on home shale.

The situation is almost identical this year as the Dorset club again led the regular standings, but a 51-39 defeat at Oxford in the first leg on Saturday has turned up the pressure ahead of Wednesday’s title showdown.

Ford said: “We need every Pirate supporter at Wimborne Road. Your energy, your passion, your noise, when you’re behind us, it makes all the difference.

“The lads feed off that, and in the biggest moments it’s the fans that turn a race in our favour. We’ve seen it time and time again. If we’re going to overcome this 12-point gap, it’s going to take a huge team effort, on and off the track.

“We’ve got everything to race for, and we believe we can do it. Fill the stands, bring your voices, and let’s make Wimborne Road a fortress. Together, we can turn this around. Let’s show Oxford what Pirate Pride really means.”