PIRATES TURN STRAIGHT TO FINAL

With barely time to draw breath and celebrate their long-awaited semi-final victory, the Poole Coastal Aluminium Pirates go straight into Grand Final action, for the fifth successive season tonight when they visit the Coventry Bees.

The Pirates currently on a 7 match unbeaten sequence, which included a 10-point win at Coventry on September 15th, meet a side that have won their last four matches and the tie produces a re-run of the 2010 championship determining final.

On that occasion the Bees won their home leg by a score of 51-39 before claiming a stunning win at Wimborne Road just a week later. This year, with weather permitting, the final is being squeezed into just a four day period with the two sides due to meet at Wimborne Road on Monday night in the concluding leg. What made that Bees' title win even more remarkable four years ago was that they finished some 22 points behind the Pirates in the regular league table. This year the margin was a much closer 6 points and Poole boss Matt Ford knows that his lads are going to be in for another stern test of resolve.

"It's going to be a really tough final again this year. Coventry have really come on big over the latter course of the season and  I have been fearing them for a while now. It is very much like the form guide we had in the semi-final with both sides having won on the other's territory this season. We saw what Bomber and Garritty were capable of with their gating last night and you add the likes of Hans Andersen and Kyle Howarth into the mix then it is clear to see why we must respect them. They have also been bolstered by the news that Ben Barker is fit to regain his place in their side after a shoulder injury whilst we will still be without Josh Grajczonek, Darcy Ward and Benji Compton.

"We have been give a bit of a boost with the news that Vaclav (Milik) is now available after the Czech championship play-offs were cancelled due to rain over there.

"Because of the weather and the pressures to get this title decided it has been a bit of a rush but we will go there tonight, fresh, if not muddy, with a view to, at the very least, keeping the tie alive for the second leg."

The clash against Coventry means the Pirates will be facing Chris Harris and Jason Garritty for the second time in consecutive nights after the pair both scored paid 12 as guests for the King's Lynn Stars. Poole have called upon Troy Batchelor to guest again for Ward whilst Danny King covers for Grajczonek and Matt Williamson steps in for Compton.

Teams from:
Coventry: Hans Andersen, Ben Barker, Kenneth Hansen, Chris Harris, Kyle Howarth, Jason Garritty, James Sarjeant Team manager Gary Havelock
Poole: Troy Batchelor, Maciej Janowski Danny King, Vaclav Milik, Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Kyle Newman, Matt Williamson Team Manager Neil Middleditch