REPORT: CHAMPIONS AGAIN - ANOTHER NAIL BITER

Just as it did in 2025, the 2026 Championship title was decided on a superheat and for a second season Poole prevail, winning heat 16 as a 6-3 to make it a season double, hat-trick of titles and Ford dynasty 35th winners trophy

POOLE 49.6
Zach Cook 1,3,3,3,1'=11+1 (5+1)
William Cairns 0,2,2',1,0=5+1 (5)
Lewis Kerr X0,NS,NS,NS=0 (1)
Cooper Rushen 1,0,3,3,2=9 (5)
Richard Lawson 3,3,3,1,2=12 (5+1)
Slater Lightcap 2',0,0,RS=2+1 (3)
Kyle Newman 3,2',3,1,1,F=10+1 (6)

SCUNTHORPE 44.3
Josh Pickering 2',3,2,2,3=12+1 (5+1)
Connor Mountain 3,1,2,1'=7+1 (4)
Jordan Jenkins 3,1',1',2=7+2 (4)
Michael Palm-Toft 2',2,2,3EH,0=9+1 (5+1)
Luke Harrison 1,1,2,0=4 (4)
Ryan Ingram 1,0,0,0,F,0,1=2 (7)
Nathan Ablitt FNS,NS,NS,NS=0 ()

Ht 1: C.Mountain, J.Pickering, Z.Cook, W.Cairns 1-5 1-5 [60.98]
Ht 2: K.Newman, S.Lightcap, R.Ingram 5-1 6-6 [61.86]
Ht 3: J.Jenkins , M.Palm-Toft, C.Rushen, L.Kerr [exc] 1-5 7-11 [61.03]
Ht 4: R.Lawson, K.Newman, L.Harrison, R.Ingram, N.Ablitt [NS] 5-1 12-12 [60.89]
Ht 5: J.Pickering, W.Cairns, C.Mountain, C.Rushen, L.Kerr [NS] 2-4 14-16 [59.97]
Ht 6: Z.Cook, W.Cairns, L.Harrison, R.Ingram 5-1 19-17 [60.47]
Ht 7: R.Lawson, M.Palm-Toft, J.Jenkins , S.Lightcap 3-3 22-20 [60.9]
Ht 8: K.Newman, C.Mountain, W.Cairns, R.Ingram, N.Ablitt [NS] 4-2 26-22 [61.97]
Ht 9: C.Rushen, L.Harrison, K.Newman, R.Ingram [fell], L.Kerr [NS] 4-2 30-24 [60.92]
Ht 10: Z.Cook, M.Palm-Toft, J.Jenkins , W.Cairns 3-3 33-27 [60.51]
Ht 11: R.Lawson, J.Pickering, C.Mountain, S.Lightcap 3-3 36-30 [60.77]
Ht 12: C.Rushen, J.Jenkins , K.Newman, R.Ingram, L.Kerr [NS] 4-2 40-32 [61.47]
Ht 13: Z.Cook, J.Pickering, R.Lawson, L.Harrison 4-2 44-34 [60.3]
Ht 14: M.Palm-Toft[15m handicap], C.Rushen, R.Ingram, K.Newman [fell], N.Ablitt [NS] 2-4 46-38 [61.72]
Ht 15: J.Pickering, R.Lawson, Z.Cook, M.Palm-Toft 3-3 49-41 [61.33]
Ht 16: Z.Cook J.Pickering R.Lawson M.Palm-Toft 6-3 Poole Champions [61.42]
SGB Referee Paul Carrington

Already eight points adrift from the first leg the last thing Poole needed was for Connor Mountain to trap in the opener and set the pace, as the big threat came from Josh Pickering. Both Zach Cook and William Cairns opted for a wider line around the south bend and that was a gift that Pickering accepted gleefully as he joined his partner. Those eight points had now become twelve. Heat two bore witness to a nasty crash when Kyle Newman got caught up in traffic at the first turn and innocently brought down both Nathan Ablitt and Slater Lightcap. An unsatisfactory start was called with all four riders eligible, but Ablitt had shoulder bone issues and his night took an early finish. Lone Scorpion Ryan Ingram, who had escaped the carnage,  made a level start but was out of contention by the first turn and the build-up deficit was back in play. But a third bend fall by the chasing Lewis Kerr in heat three ended his night and partner Cooper Rushen couldn't make any impact in the re-start as Jordan Jenkins, guesting for Jacob Hook and Michael-Palm Toft restored Scunthorpe's dozen point advantages. Newman proved defiant as he backed up Richard Lawson's win, the popular Poole reserve keeping Luke Harrison at bay so once again the scores in the meeting went level, Poole still unable to make inroads into the first leg position. Cairns made a good start in heat five but Pickering is a tough rider to hold off and he was soon out in front, although at last the 5-1 sequence had been broken, Scunthorpe leading 16-14, an aggregate position of 65-55.

Taking back-to-back rides, Cairns was again second but this time behind Cook that gave the Poole fans a boost. Heat 7 had Lawson working a little harder than he would have liked as Palm Toft was making a nuisance of himself in second place. This became the first shared heat of the night after Lightcap saw his early efforts rapidly dissipate.  Newman made a good first turn in heat eight and Cairns worked hard as he attempted to join him but the youngster found he had a Mountain in the way! At least though it was two off the deficit. Just as it was after heat nine, one in which Ingram fell at the back, but scuttled clear of the track to avoid the red lights having to come on. His partner Harrison was leading, but then Rushen found a way by  and now just two points separated the two teams over the whole tie. Cook had to be bold to squeeze by Palm Toft down the back straight and Cairns looked as if he might follow for a while. But then Jenkins, who was to be issued with a retrospective warning, relegated Cairns to the back and this whole tie was getting more tense as each heat was chalked off - Poole 33 (74) Scunthorpe 27 (76).

 A vital ride - a winning one - by Lawson under intense pressure from the threatening Pickering in heat eleven proved Poole's only points from heat eleven, but Wimborne Road slowly began to erupt. Rushen was setting the pace out front but a splendid move by Newman on Ingram levelled the tie as we entered the business end of the meeting. Cook had the audacity to pass Pickering on the backstraight and Lawson was being cheered on to try and follow suit, but he had to focus on the intense efforts by Harrison and had to settle for making a 4-2 out of the heat. For the first time in the tie Poole led - narrowly by 2. Could they put the tie to bed in heat fourteen? There was hope when Palm Toft smashed through the tapes and  had to concede fifteen metres in the re-run. As Newman went into the first turn he lost control and went down, but was able to clear. Rushen now had to bring home the win to keep Poole ahead going into the final heat, but sensationally Palm Toft was eating up the ground in double quick speed, and Rushen had no response when the Dane came through. Ingram's third place meant the league title would be going to the side that could secure a heat advantage from heat fifteen. That looked as if it would be the defending champions but on the second lap Pickering had split Cook away from leader Lawson.  Using the full extent of the circuit the Scorpions skipper wasn't done and he closed in on his prey - Lawson. On the final bend he had Lawson in his sights and powered round to make the night's score 49-41 in Poole's favour. That was ninety each on aggregate. The title, for the second year was going to be battled out in a super heat.

No real surprises with the nominations and when Cook blasted out of the tapes, Lawson was in touch to make it Glasgow - The Sequel. But it was Pickering who was to join Cook and edge ahead, but the Poole captain came back strong and determined. Pickering had only one choice. He needed to have Palm Toft with him so had to let Cook go and slow up Lawson.  Not easy to pull off but the only option he had. Lawson was cunning and just made certain there was no room for Palm Toft and for the second successive meeting at Wimborne Road there was jubilation on the terraces, many blissfully unaware that the Scunthorpe side were protesting that Cook's re-pass on Pickering had been illegal. But the referee couldn't be convinced to change his mind. 

Meeting reaction

Photo credit: Liam Cockwell