Poole Pirates claimed their third speedway championship title in four years after overturning a 12-point deficit to beat the Oxford Cheetahs on Wednesday night.
The Pirates wrapped up their success courtesy of a 95-85 aggregate victory, triumphing 56-34 in the second leg in front of a packed out Wimborne Road.
Pirates owner Matt Ford and manager Neil Middleditch took their 30th team gong and added it to a lengthy list of trophies dating back to the Craven Shield in 2001.
Oxford ran the hosts close on a thrilling evening of action before agonisingly falling short, but one supporter believes Poole deserved the win.
“Oxford weren’t poor, Poole were simply just better, but that’s shown all season with them, especially at Wimborne,” Cheetahs fan Connor Salcombe said.
The Pirates flew out of the traps and dented Oxford’s hopes of winning a first championship in 23 years.
Salcombe added: “It didn’t help that Oxford had three riders knocked over in the first three heats, it just ruined any possible momentum that we had coming into the away leg.”
The Cheetahs were without Luke Killeen and his absence proved a significant blow.
“If we have Luke Killeen back, I think we can do it both home and away,” Salcombe said.
The Cheetahs will have their chance to exact revenge over the Pirates when they face off in the Championship Knock-Out Cup final later in the month.
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