PREVIEW: POOLE v PLYMOUTH (MAXiCAB KO CUP)

POOLE face an eight-point deficit heading into the second leg of their MAXiCab KO Cup quarter-final at home to Plymouth tonight (Wednesday).

The Gladiators were 49-41 winners at the Coliseum on Saturday and they return to their regular line-up tonight with Nicolai Klindt and Joe Thompson back in the side.

When they last met at Wimborne Road in the BSN Series in April, the Pirates were emphatic 58-32 winners – but promoter Dan Ford admits he’s been frustrated by a lack of consistency from his side so far in 2025.

Ford said: “We are eight points down from the first leg and so we really can’t afford to let Plymouth get a grip on the meeting. If they settle in early, we could be in trouble.

“We have not hit top form this season, but I’ve got no doubt the boys have what it takes to reach the semis. That said, we cannot be handing them any easy openings.

“In many ways, this one feels like a mini-final. We know how much of a difference the Wimborne Road crowd can make – they’ve lifted us before and we’ll need that same energy on Wednesday night.”

POOLE: Richard Lawson, Tobias Thomsen, Anders Rowe, Lewis Kerr, Zach Cook, Paul Starke, Darryl Ritchings.

PLYMOUTH: Nicolai Klindt, Alfie Bowtell, Lasse Fredriksen, Joe Thompson, Ben Barker, Mitchell Cluff, Ben Trigger.

SCB Referee: Gary Allen

*LIVE STREAMING: https://livestream.poole-speedway.com/