Steve Shovlar

Christ we don’t need an injury on a meaningless race. King up and OK. What a race until then. Both Poole boys passing Wright before King locked up on second bend. Reruns never have the same winner.

We haven’t been at our best tonight. Steve Worrall and Kemp both poor. Cooks don’t want season to end. Ben Cook will be fought over for PL.

Well done Pirates great win. The Cooks are frying up the Bears!

Brilliant cut back by Ben Cook and a big 1-5. Looks like we are going to retain the KO Cup. Be hard for Redcar to have any lead.

Yes bloody frustrating. Steve not at his best tonight.

Hell of a heat 9. Wright cranked it up.

Redcar feed is the most basic. Dave Rowe on his own and no chit chat or co-commentator. Still, good enough without being pro and no frills.

Chances of him returning are slim. Several changes muted.

Lawson far from happy with Riss after the race. Want to see replay of second bend.

Ben Cook is going to be wanted by every PL track next season.

Gradual improvement. Bet he wishes the season wasn’t ending.

Brilliant race! Lawson and Kerr neck and neck. And Ablitt again gets third over Edwards!

Typical Pirates on a 5-1 and red light comes on in heat 3. Wright has second chance. And typical he gates and wins.

Great ride by Ablitt!

Great start! Left them for dead! Might be a bit different in heat 2.

Redcar win toss 2 and 4

Track is looking good. Might be a bit grippy.

As long as we keep it to 12-14 the cup should come south.

Just booked the stream. Who else is watching online?

Will book the live stream later once confirmed it’s on.

Have a feeling the Oxford meeting was not against Swindon, but the away team won. If someone has the 1975 fixture list this can be looked up. Edit the sad part of me has just looked it up and it was 1976 when Swindon won at White City 35-43. The Oxford meeting must be a figment of my imagination as Oxford didn’t run the same day. We are talking way back when I was a 17 year old lad. White City v Swindon Monday 19th April 1976 (Gulf Oil British League) WhiteCity 1.DagLovaas 2. Trevor Geer 3. Gordon Kennett 4. Richard Hellsen 5. Richard Greer 6. Neil Cameron 7. Paul Gachet Swindon 1. Martin Ashby 2. Norman Hunter 3. Bob Kilby 4. Bobby McNeil 5. Soren Karlsson 6. Geoff Bouchard 7. David Ashby Ht 01: M.Ashby, Lovaas, Geer, Hunter Ht 02: Bouchard, Gachet, D.Ashby, Cameron (ret) Ht 03: Greer, McNeil, Hellsen, Karlsson Ht 04: Kennett, Kilby, D.Ashby, Cameron (ret) Ht 05: M.Ashby, Hellsen, Hunter, Greer Ht 06: Kilby, Lovaas, Geer, Bouchard (ef) Ht 07: Karlsson, McNeil, Gachet, Kennett (ef) Ht 08: Geer, Hunter, D.Ashby, Lovaas (ef) Ht 09: Kilby, Greer, Bouchard, Hellsen Ht 10: Kennett, McNeil, Karlsson, Lovaas Ht 11: Kennett, M.Ashby, Greer, Hunter Ht 12: Kilby, Karlsson, Hellsen, Lovaas Ht 13: Kennett, M.Ashby, Greer, McNeil 35-43

Rain should clear in the next hour to leave a dry afternoon.

Pretty sure I was at that meeting. Went on the coach to an Oxford meeting in the morning and then onto White City. Two meetings in one day. Had a running race around the white City track if I recall.

That haunted me for years. There is footage of this match race but I have never seen it. It’s not on YouTube. I still remember it clearly though. Wilson gated and rode wide, Ashby rode the inside and got up the inside of Wilson down the back straight of lap 4. Today a rider would have not allowed Wilson around the outside but Martin was a gent and gave racing room which Wilson exploited. At Wembley Wilson was crap and Ashby didn’t get a ride. Wilson went through the tapes and the full Wembley bend were chanting Ashby’s name, only for Gordeevvto come out. Another early Ashby memory for me was a the Abbey, against Sheffield. He was left at the start, think his fuel wasn’t turned on. He got going passed the two number two’s and started his chase of Bob Valentine down. He was a straight behind but he got Valentine off the final bend to bring the house down. Ashby in his prime was rarely beaten with a 10.24 average. The occasional defeat at the Abbey by Collins, Olsen and Mauger.

No meeting at Poole tonight because we want the second leg of the KO Cup. Have to try and win something this year in front of the fans. Following week is Leicester on the Friday, away in the Saturday, then the Jubilee Final to end the season. COULD IT JUST BE Leicester home and away again? Glasgow failing to ride at Plymouth and failing to ride the final of the JC at home is pretty poor to be honest.