Steve Shovlar

Well what can be said. Oxford are ten metres up going into the first bend. Never seen anything like it. Jet propelled out of the gates leaving us for dead. Wood looks like Zmarzlik.

No excuse though as it’s the same for both teams. Bowes one more ride and will be replaced.

Pirates seriously outgated and well off the pace. All over by first bend. Not even close. Poor.

Pirates need to get their act in order.

And bloody Doyle Wood has gated twice. Couldn’t make it up!

And bloody Doyle Wood has gated twice. Couldn’t make it up!

Watching the stream very poor crowd which is not good to see.

OK I bit the bullet and purchased the stream. It’s on. The stream is working.

Good god it goes from bad to worse. No parking anywhere around the stadium.

Is it on? Are people in the stadium? Can I safely buy a stream?

Why? He is very good when fit. Sedgman a very good guest for Oxford. Bit of a track specialist. Pirates need to keep it close tonight.

There’s something called the internet. On the internet there’s websites. One is called Netweather.tv. It does rain radar and updates every 5 minutes. It shows rain over Oxford clearing shortly. https://www.netweather.tv/live-weather/radar Amazing that today you don’t actually have to travel to know if it’s raining somewhere or not. Hopefully the match will go ahead if they can work on the track.

Currently pouring down in Oxfordshire with lots of drizzle afterwards. Think I will stay put and buy the stream if it’s on.

So hopefully we will open the Oxford season tomorrow night. Surprised no Oxford fan could start a thread but this place is nothing like it used to be. Pretty dead nowadays. Both teams I guess at full strength. Still loath to pay for a ticket online just incase we get a notification at 4pm tomorrow that the meeting is not going ahead due to a leasing problem. Fingers crossed all is now sorted. Should be a close, entertaining fixture if all goes smoothly. Thoughts?

Think I will wait and see. Will buy my ticket once it is 100% confirmed the gates will open. Shame it has been such a dreadful mess…..communications have not been of a decent standard.

Well done to Scunthorpe on the win. Pirates not seemingly at it but the job was already done. Palm Toft came good tonight and young Ingram showed why he is in the team.

Pirates take an impressive lead along to the EWR tomorrow night. Never going to be overturned. But I do expect Scunthorpe to put up a proper fight on their own patch and you never know, could get a victory on their own patch night. It would take a hell of an effort against a Poole team already looking formidable. Will get the stream.

If Rushen carries on from last night, Kyle will no doubt end up at reserve with Cairns. But don’t expect double figures every match. Tougher opposition to come.

A star was born tonight. Cooper Rushen take a bow. Got to be brave to wear tassles. If you can’t live up to the hype the egg on the youngsters face would be bad. But he looks the real deal. Fast gating and good passing ability. A young Mark Loram? Possibly. But there’s a caveat of Scunthorpe being absolutely woeful. I said in the first post it could be Pickering v Poole and so it proved. He was excellent by the way. Mountain was his only backup with second places. The rest were as expected out of their depth. Palm-Toft didn’t want to know, unsurprisingly considering the smash he had here a few seasons ago. Lambert couldn’t live with the Poole boys. Newman again doing very well. Battling hard all night. Bowes should have had a max but messed up his team riding in his first race and slid off. Cairns seems to be dragging his bike around the track and looks stiff on a bike. Needs to relax more. We know the ability is there. Friday is obviously now a formality. Scunthorpe looked like wooden spooner candidates before the season and tonight confirmed it.

I thought some multi millionaire dog bloke got the lease?

Well that’s a crap start to the BSN season.

Scunthorpe the next visitors to Wimborne Road on Wednesday in the KO CUP, first leg. Will the Scorpions run Pirates close? POOLE. 1. Richard Lawson 9.58 2. Dan Gilkes 4.59 (replaced by Kyle Newman) 3. Lewis Kerr 6.77 4. Fraser Bowes 5.63 5. Zach Cook 7.34 6. William Cairns 3.81 7. Cooper Rushen 2.00 SCUNTHORPE. 1. Josh Pickering 11.64 2. Simon Lambert 4.48 3. Luke Harrison 4.97 4. Connor Mountain 5.96 5. Michael Palm Toft 6.10 6. Nathan Ablitt 4.46 7. Ryan Ingram 2.00 If Scunthorpe get through it will be a major shock. Can’t see it myself. Pickering v Poole. Thoughts?

Possibly Kyle Newman if Gilkes is fit in 28 days. Is proving the doubters wrong.

Next Saturday there will be tears in north London. Cherries coming for the three points! 🍒

You can hardly celebrate that! 😄