Harris the hero as Tigers tame Poole Pirates in Championship play-off final

Poole Pirates were unable to stop Glasgow Tigers winning the SGB Championship at Wimborne Road.

Poole Pirates were powerless to prevent Glasgow Tigers roaring to the SGB Championship title, as the Dorset club’s flawless run of trophies in British Speedway’s second tier came to an end.

Neil Midldeditch’s men had previously won every major full team crown since dropping to Championship level in 2020, with two league titles, Knockout Cups and a BSN Series to their name.

But Cami Brown’s boys held their nerve to record a 95-85 victory over Poole on aggregate following the play-off final second leg at Wimborne Road. Pirates were 47-43 winners on the night.

Chris Harris was the star of the show for Glasgow, recording a stunning 14 points from five rides.

Poole went into the contest having suffered a 52-38 first-leg defeat against the Tigers at Ashfield on Monday, meaning they needed to claw back a 14-point deficit.

They remained without Anders Rowe, with the Weymouth-born charger still nursing the effects of concussion, meaning the hosts operated rider replacement.

Glasgow, going in search of their first league crown since 2011, were down to six riders after Claus Vissing was ruled out through injury.

But it was the visitors’ number one Harris who picked up where he left off on Monday – landing the opening blow at Wimborne Road.

He took the chequered flag in heat one alongside Tom Brennan, as Glasgow comfortably saw off the Poole pairing of Richard Lawson and Kyle Newman for a 5-1.

Newman made amends in heat two however, returning the compliment by roaring to a race win alongside team-mate Joe Thompson as Poole thwarted the efforts of a game Lee Complin in third.

Vadim Tarasenko, on his first visit to Poole, claimed the spoils ahead of Poole’s Ben Cook in a shared heat three. Steve Worrall started his night with a victory in a level race four – Pirates still trailed by 14 on aggregate at the first track grade.

Harris continued to be a thorn in the side of Poole – bursting out of the gate in heat five to get the better of Ben Cook. With Brennan in third, the visitors recorded a 4-2 heat advantage and opened up a 68-52 aggregate advantage.

Drama then ensured in heat six. With Tarasenko ahead of Lawson, Complin’s bike reared up off bend four to leave the Tigers reserve in a heap. With the race stopped - referee Dave Watters ruled the 3-3 would stand.

The spills continued in heat seven – Worrall and Ace Pijper bunched up between bends on and two with both hitting the air fence. Referee Watters judged the Poole skipper to be the cause of the stoppage – much to the chagrin of the home crowd.

Newman had enough speed to slide under Glasgow’s Pijper in the re-run but failed to lower the colours of Basso. Glasgow extended to 18 their aggregate lead.

Brennan kept that advantage in tact with a tapes-to-flag victory in heat level eight before Pirates gave themselves a lifeline in heat nine.

Ben Cook teamed up with brother Zach to lower the colours of Tarasenko and give the home crowd a slender feeling of belief.

That feeling then suddenly grew after a dramatic heat 10.

A superb show of bravery from Newman saw him dive up the inside of Basso for third spot – that came before Poole number one Lawson overcame Complin to seal the heat win and a 4-2 for the hosts. The Dorset club led for the first time on the night and trailed by 12 with five heats remaining.

Any hopes Poole had however were dealt a pivotal blow in heat 11, however. Harris showed his class to go from third to first in the opening lap ahead of Worrall and Newman.

With Brennan moving into third, the visitors put themselves within touching distance of the title.

Heat 12 all-but sealed the deal for Glasgow. Despite Ben Cook winning from the gate, Basso and Complin filled the minor placings for a 3-3.

The Tigers then became uncatchable. Harris bagged his fourth win of the night ahead of Worrall and Lawson – sparking jubilant scenes for the Scottish side in front of their travelling fans.

Zach Cook took the chequered flag in the penultimate heat, with Steve Worrall finally getting the better of Harris in the finale.

(Pictures: Taylor Lanning)