Steve Shovlar

I hope the Sun readers don'y follow the papers instructions. The paper thinks the gp takes place on Sunday! https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/4036728/british-speedway-grand-prix-2017-live-stream-race/

Whilst Eddie Kennett has always worn the pirates colours with pride, it shows how hard it has been when the top British club can't get a top liner to ride over here. Matt Ford had been talking to quite a few riders but all of them said no when it came to signing on the dotted line. I believe he had been waiting for one particular rider who would have been a very good replacement for KK. Waiting so much as to include KK in the Monday meeting at Wolves and the Wednesday side against Swindon, only to be let down at the eleventh hour. KK was clearly going through the motions since his return and could have been drummed out a couple of weeks ago and Kennett brought in. Pretty sure Matt has fallen back on Eddie as the deal with the other rider fell through. Just shows how difficult it is nowdays to get a top rider into the UK for a club. Welcome Eddie. I am sure you will give it 100% and after the "efforts" of KK the fans will accept that they just want to see a rider giving his all than one not even going through the motions. However, I have to be real and say here ends any chance of the title in 2017. We will make top four but not go any further. We just don't have a big hitter to combat the Doyles or Lindgrens and it would need a monumental effort to make the final this season.

He wasn't out of shape. It's his actual riding style. That's how he enters corners in speedway. Granted its not usual but its the way he rides a bike.

Considering Chris Holder said last night there was nothing wrong with Batchelor I think I am on safe ground there. Shanes on the other hand was genuinely smashed off the bike by Greaves. You have already been picked up on this from Wolves fans who were actually at the meeting. Don't know how many times you need to be told.

He hurt his hand quite badly. Not a pretty sight. Nothing miraculous at all. We would still have beaten Wolves had Shanes not been speared as he had the beating of Greaves and would have only have had three rides anyway.

And interestingly, we managed to get a draw in the B fixture against a stunningly powerful Ipswich lineup. And the last few pages are huff and puff. AJ is not coming to Poole. Just wait and see. The speculations are off target.

Just got back from a total annihilation. One team up for it, the other completely disinterested. Men against boys, murdered out of the tapes whether the Swindon riders rolled or not. Possibly the most inept effort I have witnessed from a Poole team since 2009. Yes, this Poole side tonight was extremely weak. But there's no excuse in the way some of the team rode. Only James Shanes can hold his head high. The rest may as well have done a Batchelor and cried off! Twice in two races KK moved over to allow a Swindon rider through. It was obvious. Then he rode around close behind but never attempting to make a pass. Bye bye KK. A good capable rider who has taken the P. Sack tonight or in the morning please. And that's from someone who was a KK fan. And for those advocating that we should keep Worrall when Brady is back, tonight shows why that is not a good idea. Swindon looked like a team well up for it and it showed from heat one. A fully deserved win. For Poole. KK was a disgrace. Purposely threw away points. Lahti tried and won a heat but found it a baptism of fire. Holder was not good. Made silly mistakes tonight. Worrall struggled. Hans found it tough but beat Doyle in one race. Starke was quite poor but was dumped hard in one by Wilson Dean. Shanes was good value. For Swindon the whole team were solid and deserved all they got. Poole really need Brady back and a proper number one. We certainly can't compete with a playoff contender with a weak lineup we put out this evening. Brady rides on Saturday so we will have to see how he gets on. Might be back in two weeks. A good replacement for KK is needed to give us any chance. But tonight was all about the Robins who showed what a powerful outfit they have become.

Well done to the Robins. Outbattling us in every department. The form they are in could make them favourites for the title and deservedly so. Just watched KK inheat ten purpisely put the breaks on so not to pass Wilson Dean. Crowd let him know their thoughts. Wolves or BV must be worried about meeting Swindon in the playoffs. If it is us its goodnight Vienna!

Chatted to Shanes. No ef, no going to fall, just Greaves coming under and knocking him off. Couldn't believe he was excluded. His hand does not look pretty.

Just chatted with Chris Holder. He said the track at Kings Lynn was unrideable and that over 100 tons of fresh shale had been put on that was super grippy. Nowt wrong with Batchelor a 'handy' excuse.

Why the bleating on Perks? Great little rider with a future and better than Clegg and Greaves.

What do you really expect from this numpty?

All sounds quite feasible except for one fact. The night before at Poole he won the meeting for Kings Lynn with an excellent performance. Surely if he wanted to endear himself to the Poole fans a poor performance at Wimborne Road would have been the order of the day. In truth he didn't like the super grippy track Buster put out and thought it was dangerous. When riders get in a mindset about a track it doesn't seem to matter what work is done to it. Riders switch out of racing mode and they are done for the day. Seems that happened here.

To be honest if Batchelor got away with his pretend injury and walkout without some form of repercussion it would be a travesty. Looks like Buster believes like the rest of us that Batchelor wasn't injured at all and has hopefully shown him the door. Batchelor is not currently injured so no reason why he wouldn't be riding. Looks like heads have rolled after last weeks debacle.

We have had a lot of rain overnight with some very noisy thunderstorms. Track couldn't have had a better watering. Should be a very good meeting tonight. Looking forward to it. I think it will be close with Swindon having the edge with the return of Doyle and new signing Museliak who has hit the ground running. Made the Robins much stronger. Luckily for Poole the two away wins have virtually assured us a top 4 finish whatever the result this evening. And with Brady getting fit and it being perhaps KKs last meeting for Poole things are not looking so bad.

Shanes was basically speared by Greaves. Was gobsmacked when shanes was excluded. Shanes has an unusual style but was in control entering the first bend when Greaves clattered into him. I was on the metal stand at the first bend so had a very good view of the incident. Could have sworn Shanes was leading Greaves before he was knocked off in his second ride. Shanes saw off both Clegg and Greaves last time we were at Monmore. Why? We can bring in a top rider for KK. We could have a rider of the calibre of Hancock, Hampel, shamek, Pepe, etc. Pretty sure Matt has been working on a solution.

Its got nothing to do with whether Worral can do any better than KK. Sure he can. But we can replace KK with a proper number one, not a second string. Replacing KK with Worral will end our interest in the title.

Absolutely NO!

A rule needs to be brought in to stop any shinannigans about feigning injury. If IRR is implimented, the rider should not be allowed to ride for 5 days.

Can I ask why the two riders who refused to ride in heat 8 or 9 against Poole are not banned for 28 days like Holder? Batchelors 'injury' is clear to everyone. Back racing 24 hours later with no effects. But Lambert and I think Huckenbeck failed to race so surely they should receive the same penalty as Holder. Or is there just double standards here?

You don't release a number one and replace him with a second string. Our chance of the title this year would instantly vanish. Whilst fans from other clubs would welcome that move, Matt would never make that change. There are better riders out there to replace KK.

Most certainly Richie has done a good job so far but to say he will be kept in place of KK when Brady returns is ridiculous.

Just watched this and have to say the best meeting I have seen from here. Track is still horrible shape but there was some determined racing. Hope the injuries to the riders are not bad. Leicester threw this away with Lynch making howlers and King being completely stupid in heat 15. Why didn't he come inside on the last lap? Madness! Think the top four are now decided. Just a little jostling for top spot but whoever gets the choice won't find it an easy call.

You need to read. I was writing about KK not Howarth. Perks is a great little rider and better than your current reserves.

Gavan is coming over as very bitter and twisted as usual. One would think he is a Wolves fan who was there instead of the forums anti Poole troll. Even the Wolves fans who were there must be embarrassed by his posts this evening. Most have congratulated Poole on the win. Remember, Howarth was last when he fell. Shanes getting injured by Greaves was poor refereeing when Greaves took him out. Shanes had the beating of his rival. Poole won because we simply wanted it more and it showed from mid meeting. A run of heat advantages whittled away the ten point lead and Wolves could not answer to the Pirates charge. Track caught out both teams with Holder wobbling on the last bend to allow Masters through and Schlein doing similar later. Hans tried to charge in heat 13 but ended 30 metres further behind KK. Super effort from Poole and Wolves couldn't raise their game tonight. No excuses. Poole with no number one (which will be rectified soon) Lindgren went awol when it mattered. A fully deserved Poole win which puts the cat amongst the pigeons.