FORD FEELS FANS CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE

Poole 'Wessex Pirates' are an aggregate victory away from a fifth SGB Championship title winning season in six years and Poole boss Dan Ford believes the Pirates strength not rests just with the team that he and his dad, Matt, built but also the spirit of the club's supporters.

With the away leg happening on Friday this week (2nd October) at Scunthorpe the younger Ford is looking at title-deciding night - next Wednesday (7th October) at Wimborne Road.

"We saw in the BSN Series Final just what a difference our supporters can make. Heat 8 was a perfect example, the noise around Wimborne Road was incredible and you could genuinely feel the lift it gave the boys. In a Grand Final, those moments matter, and with everything on the line in the second leg, we need that atmosphere again. “So bring the noise, get behind the boys from the very first race and let’s make Wimborne Road as loud as we possibly can. We’ll also be giving every child a FREE whistle on the way in. This is the biggest meeting of the season and we want everyone, young and old, to play their part."

Part of each of the previous four Championship titles (2021, 2022, 2024 & 2025) has been present day captain Zach Cook and he step's into the number one position under the October averages, meaning that for the first time since June 21st 2023 Richard Lawson loses the ranking of Poole's top rider.

The switch doesn't faze Ford any, claiming

"In both Zach and Richard we have two of the league's best riders. Both are in the top eight and just 0.18 of a point separates them. Their position in the team is largely irrelevant, they both have the passion and desire to bring the title home for a third successive season."

Line-ups for Friday:
Scunthorpe (TM David Howe)  1 Josh Pickering (Capt) 2 Connor Mountain 3 Jacob Hook 4 Michael Palm Toft 5 Luke Harrison 6 Ryan Ingram 7 Nathan Ablitt 
Poole (TM Gary Havelock) 1 Zach Cook (Capt) 2 William Cairns 3 Lewis Kerr 4 Cooper Rushen 5 Richard Lawson 6 Slater Lightcap 7 Kyle Newman