PIRATES TOP AND WAIT ON OXFORD

POOLE raced to an emphatic 55-35 win over Edinburgh to take over at the top of the Cab Direct Championship at the end of their regular programme.

The Pirates must now wait to discover whether they have done enough to remain in first place and gain choice of play-off opponents, which will be decided when rivals Oxford visit Glasgow on Friday.

Richard Lawson (13+1) and Steve Worrall (11) both enjoyed multiple wins at Armadale whilst reserve Kyle Newman picked up a four-ride paid maximum with 8+4.

Josh Pickering racked up 17 for the Monarchs, whose play-off destiny will be decided in Friday’s double header against Plymouth and Birmingham.

Poole boss Gary Havelock said: “It was an important win, and a difficult win too. We had it in the bag last time we were here, heading for a 26-10 lead and I looked down at the

programme after just five heats tonight and we were only two up this time, but the boys smashed it with three 5-1s in four heats and that did it.

“What a fabulous team. You look right through the team and we had just four last places all night and apart from Zach’s (Cook) crash it was a perfect night really.”

Pickering said: “Poole are a top team and we were not fielding our full team so we knew how hard it would be.

“I go into every match to win but I am a realist, and I know that it is Friday’s matches which are more important right now for us. I believe we can make the play-offs.”

OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
Available here

Photo credit:  JACK CUPIDO