Glasgow Tigers v Poole Pirates

Report

GLASGOW skipper Chris Harris raced to a thrilling paid maximum to inspire the Tigers to a 52-38 win over Poole in the first leg of the Cab Direct Championship Grand Final.

The home side roared into an 18-point lead after eight races before being pegged back in the second half of the meeting as the Pirates worked to limit the damage.

Harris produced three stunning rides from the back to ensure his side retained a double-figure advantage ahead of Wednesday’s second leg at Wimborne Road.

His 14+1 total was backed up by Benjamin Basso on 10+1 and Tom Brennan on 9+2, whilst Richard Lawson, Steve Worrall and Zach Cook all scored paid-ten for the Pirates.

Glasgow boss Cami Brown said: “We knew Poole were going to come back at us, they are too good a team.

“But that’s their biggest defeat of the season. If you’d asked me before whether I’d take a 14-point lead, of course I’d take it.

“Our target is now 39 points. If we can do that I’ll be the happiest man on this planet for the fans, riders and the owners.

“We are going to need spades of character, spirit and desire at Poole on Wednesday night.

“We hit them hard and early tonight, but we need to do the same down there.

“We had a team meeting afterwards tonight. It’s half-time, it’s nil-nil. We don’t have a lead, that’s the way we are looking at it. We go down there with a belief to win the meeting.”

CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL, 1st leg
GLASGOW 52: Chris Harris 14+1, Benjamin Basso 10+1, Tom Brennan 9+2, Vadim Tarasenko 9, Lee Complin 9, Ace Pijper 1, Claus Vissing r/r
POOLE 38: Richard Lawson 9+1, Steve Worrall 9+1, Zach Cook 8+2, Ben Cook 6, Kyle Newman 4+1, Joe Thompson 2+1, Anders Rowe r/r

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Photo credit: IAN ADAM