BRITISH SPEEDWAY OCTOBER 10, 2023

(SPEEDWAY 1)

HARRIS MAXIMUM INSPIRES TIGERS’ VICTORY

GLASGOW skipper Chris Harris raced to a thrilling paid maximum to inspire the Tigers to a 52-38 win over Poole in the first leg of the Cab Direct Championship Grand Final.

The home side roared into an 18-point lead after eight races before being pegged back in the second half of the meeting as the Pirates worked to limit the damage.
Harris produced three stunning rides from the back to ensure his side retained a double-figure advantage ahead of Wednesday’s second leg at Wimborne Road.

His 14+1 total was backed up by Benjamin Basso on 10+1 and Tom Brennan on 9+2, whilst Richard Lawson, Steve Worrall and Zach Cook all scored paid-ten for the Pirates.
Glasgow boss Cami Brown said: “We knew Poole were going to come back at us, they are too good a team.

“But that’s their biggest defeat of the season. If you’d asked me before whether I’d take a 14-point lead, of course I’d take it.
“Our target is now 39 points. If we can do that I’ll be the happiest man on this planet for the fans, riders and the owners.
“We are going to need spades of character, spirit and desire at Poole on Wednesday night.
“We hit them hard and early tonight, but we need to do the same down there.
“We had a team meeting afterwards tonight. It’s half-time, it’s nil-nil. We don’t have a lead, that’s the way we are looking at it. We go down there with a belief to win the meeting.”
 
(SPEEDWAY 2)

POOLE boss Neil Middleditch says the Cab Direct Championship is still all to fight for despite a 14-point defeat in the first leg of the Grand Final at Glasgow.
Halfway through the meeting at Ashfield the Pirates looked set to be facing a larger deficit as they trailed 33-15 before getting to grips with conditions.

It means they need to score 53 points in the return fixture on Wednesday to take the title – a target they have achieved in five of the Tigers’ previous six visits to Wimborne Road.
Middleditch said: “It’s a big advantage that they have, but I don’t believe it is insurmountable.
“It was looking a bit grim early doors I will admit, but the boys dug in and managed to get it back to 14.
“They all did their best, Glasgow came out fighting real strong, and a few things didn’t quite go our way.
“But this is a Grand Final between two good sides and there is still a long way to go. We might be down, but we are far from out.”

(FIXTURES)

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 11:
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINAL 2nd leg: Poole (38) v Glasgow (52) 7.30
ALAN GRAHAME MEMORIAL: Birmingham v Cradley Heathens Select 7.30

FRIDAY OCTOBER 13:
CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 1st leg: Scunthorpe v Poole 7.30

SATURDAY OCTOBER 14:
NDL KO CUP FINAL 2nd leg: Leicester (49) v Mildenhall (38) 7pm

SUNDAY OCTOBER 15:
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE RIDERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP: Workington 2pm