Poole Pirates visit Edinburgh Monarchs on Friday (tapes-up 7.30pm) in the SGB Championship and the home side have the chance for quick revenge.

The South Coast club extended their unbeaten run to nine matches by defeating second-placed Monarchs 48-42 at Wimborne Road on Wednesday.

Sixth-placed Pirates dominated the first half of the meeting to go 14 points clear, but Monarchs dug in to bounce back strongly following their first race win in Heat Nine and secure a league point courtesy of a last-heat 5-1 from Sam Masters and Richie Worrall.

John Campbell, Monarchs team manager, said: “It was a very, very tough start. I couldn’t believe it. To go so many races without winning a race is not our style, but we certainly got back into it.”

Skipper Sam Masters and Richie Worrall won the final heat to snatch a valuable road point and Campbell said: “We claimed a vital league point.”

Monarchs old boy Rory Schlein scored 12 points for the Pirates and clocked the fastest time of the season at Poole in Heat 1 with another former Monarchs star, Steve Worrall, picking up ten points.
Masters claimed 13 while Richie Worrall and Josh Pickering both scored ten and they will be key men in the return.

Schlein said: “You look at Edinburgh and can see why they are a top four side and they have done well previously on the road this season, so to get the win was important.
“It doesn’t really matter how you win as long as you get it in the end.”

Meanwhile, Championship pace-setters Glasgow Tigers entertain Scunthorpe who are third in a key clash at Ashfield in Glasgow tonight (tapes-up 7.30pm) and fifth-placed Redcar Bears host Berwick Bandits, who are eighth, also at 7.30pm.

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