PIRATES RETURN TO ACTION WITH BACK-TO-BACK NORTHERN MEETINGS

16/07/26

After a 20‑day break, the Poole Wessex Marine Pirates face their first action this month when they travel to SGB Cab Direct Championship leaders Scunthorpe on Friday (17th).

Both of Poole’s teenage sensations — William Cairns and Cooper Rushen — find themselves in the main body of the team, a challenge that Poole promoter Dan Ford believes will be good for their career development.

"Cooper has already ridden for us at four and he coped admirably. Now, under the July averages, Will comes up from reserve and we have slotted him in at number two, which is never an easy position, but the lad can gate and could well claim a few scalps.

"We are effectively starting our season again after what feels like an eternity. We have only ridden three league matches so far this season, so we find ourselves having to play catch‑up as we look forward to some big meetings ahead, starting with Scunthorpe on Friday, then straight on to Workington on Saturday."

The Pirates have booked Oxford's Edward Kennett to guest in place of Fraser Bowes, whose season has ended following further complications discovered after his crash earlier in the season, with Poole not having been able to secure a permanent replacement at this stage. Kennett will join Kyle Newman in the reserve berth on Friday, with Scunthorpe's Luke Harrison — who holds a matching average to that of Bowes — covering at Workington.

Scunthorpe field Dan Gilkes, who had originally signed as a Pirate for 2026, but injury forced him to miss the start of the campaign, paving the way for Newman to join Poole once again.

Line-Ups:
Friday
Scunthorpe: (TM David Howe) 1 Josh Pickering (Capt) 2 Connor Mountain 3 Dan Gilkes 4 Michael Palm-Toft 5 Luke Harrison 6 Ryan Ingram 7 Nathan Ablitt
Poole (TM Gary Havelock) 1 Richard Lawson 2 William Cairns 3 Lewis Kerr 4 Cooper Rushen 5 Zach Cook (Capt) 6 Edward Kennett (Guest) 7 Kyle Newman

Saturday
Workington: (TM James Denham) 1 Jonas Jeppesen 2 Vinnie Foord 3 Drew Kemp 4 Tate Zischke 5 Troy Batchelor (Capt) 6 Niklas Holm-Jakobsen 7 Max Perry
Poole (TM Gary Havelock) 1 Richard Lawson 2 William Cairns 3 Lewis Kerr 4 Cooper Rushen 5 Zach Cook (Capt) 6 Luke Harrison (Guest) 7 Kyle Newman