UPDATE: PIRATES NEED TO HIT BIG IS MESSAGE FROM FORD

Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates arrive at their final regular home league fixture on Wednesday night (August 6th 19:30) determined to maintain their unbeaten home league record for this season, which would see them widen the points margin between them and the Glasgow Tigers, who with meetings in hand, have closed to within three points of the defending champions.

Standing in Poole's way will be their Devonshire  neighbours, the Plymouth Gladiators who are in desperate need of points to mount there challenge for a place in the title-deciding play-offs.

Poole promoter Dan Ford always welcomes the local derby fever and sees Wednesday as a meeting with an added edge to it."Our biggest home score of the season this year was recorded against Plymouth in the BSN series, when we beat them 58-32 and with the return fixture coming up this Saturday we could do ourselves some good if we could replicate that score in Wednesday's league match. A solid performance for us would provide that added boost as we will shortly be moving into the business end of the season."

Without a doubt we have produced a great deal of excitement at Wimborne Road this year with a number of close finishes and whilst in itself those meeting give an added dimension to the evening, it would be better for our nerves if we could put a meeting to bed much earlier. The message to our lads will be to hit them [Plymouth] hard from the off. The addition of Scott Nicholls to their side has been an inspired move by the Plymouth management and he has settled in to their side well. They may well be several points behind us in the league but that doesn't mean it will be easy for us,  especially if we give them any openings."

At the weekend, the Gladiators added three points to their Championship tally with an aggregate win over Workington  - the one side so far this season that have been able to take the bonus from Poole. Whilst they have strengthened up with the signing of Nicholls, they find themselves again missing the services of their number one marquee signing of the season, Nicolai Klindt.  The Gladiators also have an absent number seven as Arran Butcher is side-lined with a hand injury sustained in his only meeting for the Devon side and so they have recruited 2024 Pirate Max Perry to guest at reserve.
The Pirates remain unchanged from the septet that got over the line by six points against Oxford last week.

Teams
Poole (TM Neil Middleditch) 1 Richard Lawson 2 Tobias Thomsen 3 Lewi Kerr 4 Zach Cook (Capt) 5 Anders Rowe 6 Paul Starke 7 William Cairns 
Plymouth (TM Garry May) 1 RR 2 Lasse Fredriksen 3 Ben Barker (Capt) 4 Joe Thompson 5 Scott Nicholls 6 Alfie Bowtell 7 Max Perry (Guest)
 

The revised Plymouth team will be 1 Dan Thompson (Guest) 2 Lasse Fredriksen 3 Ben Barker (Capt) 4 Joe Thompson 5 Scott Nicholls 6 Darryl Ritchings (Guest) 7 Max Perry (Guest)

Photo Credit: Tony Hartmann