Steve Shovlar

Penalised Poole again with Starke wrecking the tapes and all four back. Ref should have let it go.

Justice done in rerun

Cook exc fine not under power. Basso fell on his own and is allowed in? Shocking call!

There is no risk of 30 points being overhauled. Not going to happen. If the lead was 18 points I would say the same. Not going to happen. The Poole team I riding too well and is solid. It didn’t happen when we were riding mediocre mid season, so why would it happen when we are riding well?

No not bike issues. Just beaten up by riders with more desire and dialled in. As for Tom Brennan, as his career progresses he will certainly improve at Poole. I remember a young Chris Harris struggling for several seasons to get a grip of Wimborne Road and always flattering to deceive. Today, when in the right mood and with his bikes working, he can be untouchable.

Why wouldn’t they be?

I think if a final is to be rerun, then the riders should start in a staggered order. The rider leading should start 5 metres in front if second who starts 5 metres in front of third. A rerun rarely sees the same rider order coming off the second bend. The leading rider in the first running often loses out. Unfair.

We will win or keep it close. 60-30 is far too big a gap to blow. We have to come all the way up there for the Jubilee meeting as well in the next few weeks. Let’s hope the weather holds out. Glasgow have the makings of a very good team and next year, if they build well, could well be title winners. Cook has had issues. Hopefully they are sorted. Brennan is definitely one for the future. As is Ben Basso if they can keep him. Bailey? Great at home, poor away. Hume? Great lad and I would have kept him in the Poole lineup no doubt. Nicol. Not convinced. Incoming Pickering? I am hearing the Championship points limit will be lower next season so Pirates will not have the luxury of three top riders at heat leader. Danny Ford said the Poole team would need changes because of this but he wanted to keep the nucleus of the team. Expect the Cooks, Lawson, King or Worrall.

Good news as Sunday is far better weather and it doesn’t clash with the big match of Swindon v Northampton.

So it’s likely to be off again? A 3pm start to clash with the footy isn’t the wisest of moves. Sunday? Looking better.

That’s a great post. All spot on. I heard the news on Wednesday and it’s all so expected and all so disappointing and predictable. The sad thing is like Coventry, down to greed from stadium owners. The club, like Coventry, was profitable with good crowds and a decent atmosphere. I shall certainly miss my trips up to Blunsdon, like Brandon, with the banter and rivalry. Gutted for the fans.

Glasgow’s form continues in heat one of Ipswich v Belle Vue.

One thing to note. The swap deal between Poole and Glasgow for Lawson and Basso certainly came out on the Pirates side. Not for last nights score, but for overall value. There is no doubt that Basso will be a top rider with a high chance of a GP career. But he could well be gone next season from the Championship, while Richard Lawson has at least three more season in him before his career ends.

The track was fine on Sunday but the ref and a couple of Glasgow riders didn’t fancy it. Glasgow manager argued that if it rained again the result could be called at heat ten. That issue really is no longer valid.

I guess if there is oxygen in the air or a Tory wrecking the economy there is a chance. But the chances are Poole will win at Ashfield as well. Last night when the Cooks were interviewed they said Poole would be going there to win. Personally I would like to see safety first and don’t take risks but if you play safe you may invite trouble. In the quarter finals Poole went and won both legs and the same could easily happen here to keep the run going.

Glasgow riders made the gate on several occasions. Trouble for them though is they were at the back coming down the back straight.

There was plenty of passing last night. Nearly all on the first lap as Glasgow were simply blown away. Brennan gated twice but was swallowed up on the first and second bend. Basso got passed twice while in second place. If a team is that poor, do you expect them to chase and pass a faster and more aggressive rider? In heat 15 Glasgow gated on a 5-1 and Lawson got through to second. Steve Worrall is a gater so didn’t bust a gut when the job had been done already. It might not have been a great meeting for a neutral, as the teams were completely mis-matched. But the stadium was rocking last night and the atmosphere was brilliant. I doubt anyone other than a handful of Glasgow fans left the stadium last night feeling anything but elation.

I certainly don’t dislike Brennan and think he has ability to go a long way in the sport. But he hasn’t enough yet to come to Poole and expect to see off our top five. He gated in two heats but by the time riders had come out of the second bend he had been passed and was on a losing 5-1. Experience will come with age. At the moment it was too much for him to handle.

Unless the Glasgow track is underwater the meeting will go ahead. Both teams now want it done and dusted. Glasgow have no chance now so what’s the point on waiting for good track conditions? Rideable is good enough.

Craig Cook expects it and it doesn’t seem to affect him. I am not sure of the reason why he gets booed at Poole. I can’t think of anything he has ever done to warrant it.

Well I didn’t expect that. But Middlo spoke to the team on the track walk and said they had to hit them hard from heat one and so they did. In fact they didn’t let up all meeting and but for Danny Kings EF we would have had 62-63. Glasgow just couldn’t compete with out heat leaders and the Cooks. Even Nathan Ablitt got stuck in in heat 2 and superbly held off Starke to bring the house down. I have to say I felt sorry for the Glasgow fans who had made the long trip down today. They were confident before the meeting. It’s a long way home. To say Glasgow didn’t have one rider who could compete with our team is so true. Basso got beaten up, Brennan just doesn’t have the ability, yet, to compete and only Cook showed some form, a win when it was all over. The Atmosphere was electric, the racing great, for Pirates fans of course, and the fat lady has cleared her voice and is bellowing. Special mention to the Cooks. Ben unbeaten again and Zach with a career best paid 17. In the free meeting interviews, both said that all the Pirates wanted to ride and a few of the Glasgow riders were happy to continue. Ben Sid there was nothing wrong with the Glasgow track and it was a ridiculous call off. Think it all fired up the team who are on fire and three weeks on the bounce they have hit 60. Next meeting in two weeks with the visit of Redcar in the KO Cup final.

Glasgow come out to “why does it always rain on me”.

Rain due in Poole at 8pm. Be interesting if this gets the same treatment as Glasgow. Will the Glasgow riders demand to carry on?

Think tonight will be a close meeting. Pirates need a 12 point lead for Saturday. Any less and it’s squeaky bum time. Looking forward to it regardless of the score. Should be a good meeting with two evenly matched teams.

Neither Broc Nicol or Paul Starke wanted it at all. As soon as it got wet Nicol didn’t want to know. Starke didn’t want to know as soon as he slid off. That would have reduced the glasgow team to 4 riders willing to give it a go. Every Poole rider wanted to continue. Not until heat 10, but to the conclusion of the meeting. The Poole team as a whole are completely up for this semi final and will be on it 100%. If that is not enough, Pirates would have been beaten by a better Glasgow team.