REACTION: PIRATES SUCCUMB TO STRONG OXFORD START

Poole's involvement in this season's BSN Series hinges on the outcome of results from the Northern Groups after suffering a 44-46 home defeat at the hands of ultimate Southern Group winners, Oxford.

Poole fans found themselves in unfamiliar territory when they saw the Pirates trailing at Wimborne Road by 10-20 after the opening five heats, the first time that has happened in an official competition since the Pirates' play-off semi-final against Somerset in 2018, but there was a recovery from the current BSN Series holders who even managed to force a last heat decider.

The meeting was interrupted for more than an hour after Oxford's Dan Gilkes took an awkward fall at the end of heat ten, and he needed trackside care and attention before being transported to hospital.

The meeting hung in the balance with the Pirates trailing by four at that juncture but a 5-1 form Australians Sam Masters and Mitch McDiarmid swung the advantage in Oxford's favour, although Poole were able to reduce the eight point deficit to just four going into the final heat.

But unlike their efforts at Oxford in the corresponding leg, Poole couldn't quite pull off the required 5-1, despite Richard Lawson getting the better of Masters, who had gone four rides unbeaten before losing his maximum aspirations two heats earlier, also at the hands of Lawson. Unfortunately for the patient Poole fans, skipper Zach Cook couldn't quite find a way by the Cheetahs' number one , meaning the defeat denied Poole winning the Southern Group.

Reflecting on Poole's defeat - the club's first slip up at home since Oxford secured a 41-49 triumph in the SGB Championship last August, Lawson admitted "I don't really know what to say, it was one of those frustrating night's you know, but I am not going to stand here and make excuses. We weren't good enough and we will have to take a look back at this and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Now, for Poole,  it is a case of watching out for the results of the Scunthorpe v Workington fixture on Friday and Workington v Redcar (Saturday) whilst also hoping Edinburgh fail to win by twenty six or more points at Glasgow (Friday).

Oxford have joined Glasgow as confirmed semi-finalists with Redcar looking nailed on to win their group, leaving the best runners-up finish across the three groups to secure the fourth and final place. Poole finished on 5 points and hold a race point advantage of 22 which puts them in a strong position, subject to the results later this week.

Scorers
POOLE 44 - Richard Lawson 13 (2,2,3,3,3) ,Zach Cook 10+1 (0,2,1',3,3,1) ,Anders Rowe 8+1 (3,0,2',3) ,Lewis Kerr 6 (2,3,1,0) , Paul Starke 4+1 (1,0,1',RS,1,1) ,Tobias Thomsen 3 (0,TS,2,1) ,Matt Marson 0 (0,0,RS,0,RS)
OXFORD - 46 ,Sam Masters 16 (3,3,3,3,2,2) ,Mitch McDiarmid 11+1 (3,3,1,2',RS,2) ,Jonas Knudsen 7+2 (1,1',1',2,2,0) ,Dan Gilkes 5 (2,1,2,F) ,Jordan Jenkins  4+1 (3,0,0,1') ,Luke Killeen 3+2 (2',1',0,0,0) 

FInal Southern Group Table

Heat details and report

Photo credfit Tony Hartmann