PIRATES PREPARE TO SAY FAREWELL TO BJARNE

Poole could make it a Lucky Thirteen on Wednesday (8th September) when they host the league visit of the Plymouth Gladiators. If they maintain this current season's one-hundred per-cent home record then it would take their run of successive Wimborne Road victories to thirteen matches in all competitions.

That would also put them on the brink of a guaranteed top two finish, thus avoiding the quarter final stages of the play-offs, an aspect that  Poole boss Dan Ford is keen to achieve. 

"Our goal from the start of the season was to be winners, we know that our supporters have come to expect that from Poole teams over the years and I can assure you that winning mentality has not changed. I want the very best for Poole Speedway and our supporters and I just think how good it would be to maintain our unbeaten home record this season."

There will be some who, if they look back on this season's results, will consider Wednesday something of a formality having previously crushed the Gladiators in the Knockout cup  61-29 but Ford is wary of adopting that attitude. 

"It is a different proposition that we face on Wednesday. Plymouth have certainly strengthened up through their signing of Richard Lawson and of course they will have Jason Crump this time around and we know what he is capable of, whilst on the flip side, the loss of Stef (Stefan Nielsen) is going to hurt us big time that's for sure. 
"But that is where our fans can come in by giving the rest of the side every encouragement, just like they did against Glasgow last Friday.
"That said, I am certain that all of our fans will want to give Bjarne Pedersen a big send off as this will be his last racing appearance at Wimborne Road. He might be in opposition colours but I know he has a big place in his heart for our club and equally he is held in very high esteem by the management and supporters alike here at Poole. It will be sad to see him track his final four laps around the place he raced most of his British career and I guess there won't be a dry eye in the house when that moment comes."

Plymouth have experienced a mixed bag of results on their league travels, including a 33-45 defeat at Newcastle on the same day as Poole put sixty one points past the Diamonds. Their only point gained on the road thus far came at Edinburgh when they went down fighting 42-47 but Garry May is sure to have his charges well fired up for this clash against the Pirates as they only have two opportunities to collect an away win, either against the Pirates or on Friday when they visit Glasgow - the same night as Poole complete their regular away league fixtures at Scunthorpe.

Teams:
Poole - Rory Schlein; Benjamin Basso; Steve Worrall; Ben Cook; Danny King; Anders Rowe (Guest); Danyon Hume - Team manager Gary Havelock
Plymouth - Bjarne Pedersen; Zane Keleher; Alfie Bowtell; Jason Crump; Richard Lawson; Zach Cook; Dillon Ruml - Team manager Garry May