Steve Shovlar

Poole bends are not narrow. FIM width. Poole track nearly always produces good racing. Don’t listen to the haters. Plenty of passing last night! I admit the track isn’t as good as NSS but what tracks are?

Heat 13 yesterday was excellent. But this was better.

No I was there to witness the track at first hand in the B fixture. It was televised so anyone watching on BT saw what the track was like. Leave the curb and go backwards. They also did it against Kings Lynn. Nicolai posted on twitter asking what the hell have Somerset done to their great race track?

All managers make the odd blooper. But how many titles has he won? Almost lost count.

Perhaps I read your post wrong. I read the “who cares” as you not caring about Chris Holder after the service he has given the club. If it was about his problems, then I apologise.

So Gary May decided to take the first leg in the hope that Somerset will build a big enough lead to make the second leg at Wimborne Road two weeks later nothing more than a formality. Somerset are clear favourites for once. We don’t go very well around the Oak Tree, and they go very well around our place. Heats 13 and 15 are a virtually nailed on 8 point swing in both meetings. However, I am not giving up all hope. If, and it’s a big if, all the boys click together we can cause a shock and knock them out. Brady Kurtz and Josh Graczjonek both need to up their games and Richie Worrall needs to have a good meeting there, something I have yet to see. Chris Harris struggled badly on his last two visits. Again he needs to pull back the years. The rebels are odds on to progress to the final but at least this time around we will be aware the track is likely to only have one line. Expecting 52-38 which will be too much to pull back. But you never know. Middlo, with more league titles than the rest put together and possibly the best manager the sport has seen for decades, will have the boys fired up. Will it be enough? We will know soon enough.

Well I do for one and there are many hundreds who appreciate the time Chris Holder spent with the Pirates. He is one of Poole Pirates all time greats and deserves to be classed as one. Your dissing him by saying “who cares” says a lot more about you.

The rule should be strengthened. As the clock hits zero, all riders must be ready for the green light. Gardening in any shape or form will result in a disqualification. The fans will appreciate this, and the riders will soon get used to it. Gardening delays are one of the banes of the sport.

Heat 14 last night.

He had to be seperated from his team mate earlier this season and threatened with the sack. Doesn’t sound good as gold to me.

If Matt is in charge of Poole next season there would be no way back for Jack Holder, even if he wanted to return. Burnt all his bridges with his behaviour last season.

Spoke briefly to Luke Becker last night. Seems a nice lad. Was wearing Monster gear.

The track is one of the best in the league after NSS. Last night the trackman was back from his holidays. Better prep, no hole, passing. And more dirt down. You cannot be a casual fan of AFC Bournemouth and attend the match. It’s impossible. AFC Bournemouth run a loyalty system. Those that attend every match can go to the next one. Every match is sold out. If you see empty seats, they are sold. Its just that the fan hasn’t turned up but purchased the seat so they can go to the next one, which might be Liverpool. If they don’t do this they don’t get the chance for tickets. As the stadium only holds 12,000 the tickets are massively in demand. There are probably 100 or so Poole fans who go to AFC Bournemouth every match.

Just managed to watch the meeting this morning. Very good meeting from about heat 8. Heat 13 was excellent but Doyle never looked for his team mate once in the meeting never mind the race. On the second bend of lap 4 Doyle messed up and his speed was scrubbed allowing Fricke to catch and blast around. Excellent action. Belle Vue covered for Bewley quite well. They can give Lynn real test in the semi final. Somerset v Lynn the likely final though.

An entertaining meeting tonight played out in front of a good crowd. Poole completely dominant but some very good races once the outside line appeared. Rider of the night was Richie Worrall imo who produced some superb moves from the back, the best on Nick Morris who didn’t know what hit him. Deserved heat 15 ride when it was all done and dusted. Josh also on excellent form with a paid max. Deserved heat 15 but gave it up to Richie. So now the regular season is finished who fancies Pirates in the semi? Guess it will be Somerset with the first leg at the Oak tree. For Poole. Kurtz was poor. A third followed by an ef is not good enough. He won his next before he kept getting in Harris way in heat 13 blocking bombers move on Masters. We know he is a lot better than this. Josh G was faultless. A far cry from early season. Klindt penalised himself in his first by jumping at the gate. After that was solid. Woryna scored in every heat. Not his best but solid. Harris was very good value. Worrall had his best meeting for a while. Two excellent passes. Jakobsen was very good value. Fell asleep in one allowing Thorsell through. For Wolves. Masters started poorly in his first three but turned it around with three fast gates. Howarth was poor by his usual Wimborne Road standards Andersen struggled on his first visit. Nick Morris won his first then was overtaken in two of his other rides. Ashley Morris struggled. Ayres suprisingly won heat 2 when he gated and rode sensibly to hold off the Poole boys. That was it from him. Loads more for Poole to do. Lots of improvement there. But tonight Kurtz misfired while the rest were getting on it. We need all 7 to click together to progress to the final. Haven’t done it much this season so it’s now or never. On another note, Luke Becker was being shown around Wimborne Road by Gordon Pairman. Left after the meeting so not sure if he went out and took a spin. At the interval he went out on the track and was kicking around the starting gate.

Heard tonight if its somerset v Poole, Somerset want first leg.

1 and 3 had a massive advantage all meeting with virtually no overtaking. Brennan gated alongside Zach W. Both Poole riders threw everything at him but no chance of a pass.He gated fair and square in heat two. In his other rides he wasn’t close to a point. I would say if he had been off 2 or 4 in his first ride he wouldn’t have got a point. I can’t compare against Smith as I don’t watch him every week.

If you are insinuating Poole are regular “chokers”, I suggest you look up just how many league titles we have won since 2000, including three on the bounce. Please remind me again how many titles Kings Lynn have won in that period? Struggling to think of one.

If the final turns out to be Somerset v Kings Lynn, can’t see past an easy Somerset win over the 2 legs. Both trying to outdo each other with doctored tracks. Lynn making it ultra grippy and Somerset making it the inside line only. Might not make a thrilling final though.

Seems you are upset and getting a drubbing at your rivals place. Suck it up. Somerset are clear favourites.

Thats why it was strange that Somerset threw the meeting last night. They could still have finished top and picked BV/Swindon. Instead they have to take on Poole which will be much harder. They will come into the semis as favourites but why make it more difficult than it needed to be?

Can’t disagree with that. The track was not prepared by our normal guy and was much more underwatered than it should have been. Hopefully tomorrow our trackman returns.

I think after that result Kings Lynns bubble is well and truly popped. Lucky Nicolai was riding. Scored the same as Iversens average so the Dane wasn’t really missed. Somerset clear favourites for the title after laying down that drubbing.

Kurtz has been woeful tonight. Hope its different bikes and attitude tomorrow!

Lol @ Gavan. Doesn’t have the brains to realise I used the word floored on purpose. #prayfordoyle.