POOLE team boss Neil Middleditch said his side are “ready for the fight” after defeat at Oxford.

The Wessex Marine Pirates went down 51-39 in the first leg of their Cab Direct Championship Grand Final in Cowley on Saturday night.

It leaves the tie perfectly poised for the decider at Wimborne Road next Wednesday.

Poole trailed by just four points with five races to go but fell away dramatically in the latter stages as the experienced home pair of Sam Masters and Scott Nicholls scored huge 5-1s in Heats 13 and 15.

(Image: Taylor Lanning) Middleditch admitted: “We let it slip a bit. Sam and Scott are a killer pair.

“We knew we had to keep it as tight as possible going into the last three heats because those boys are mustard around here.

“I was delighted with the first half a dozen heats but obviously Oxford were always going to be tough here and turn it up.

“They are in the final for a reason and that’s because they are a very good team and they’ve proved it tonight.”

All seemed to be going to plan for the Pirates as they comfortably defended in the early stages to keep it level at 15-15 after five races. Even though the home side finally broke the deadlock in Heat 6, a wonderful ride from Zach Cook in Heat 7 to pass Nicholls kept the score 22-20.

The Cheetahs did deliver two more 5-1s to lead by eight. However Ben Cook and Tobias Thomsen delivered their own maximum in Heat 12 to reduce deficit to four again.

(Image: Taylor Lanning) But then Masters and Nicholls produced their final assault to end increase the lead to 12 points.

However Middleditch expects a huge occasion back in Dorset.

He added: “We had a few boys like Ben (Cook) and Tom (Brennan) who had off-nights. But that can happen and they will come out fighting on Wednesday.

“We will have to hit the ground running at Wimborne Road and hit them hard early and try and eat into their lead.

“Our heads are down at the moment but that will change after tonight and focus on getting the job done in the second leg.

“The boys know what they have to do. They will be hungry to make amends and turn it around. We are ready for the fight.

(Image: Taylor Lanning) “We are used to the big nights at Wimborne Road. They are special occasions and the crowd get involved and they are always our eighth man. I expect that again.

“It’s perfectly poised to be a great occasion and a memorable night once again.”

OXFORD 51: Dan Gilkes: 8+1; Cameron Heeps: 6+0; Jody Scott: 2+1; Sam Masters: 12+3; Luke Killeen: 12+1; Scott Nicholls: 10+1; Ashton Boughen: 1+1.

POOLE 39: Richard Lawson: 8; Zach Cook: 9+1; Ben Cook: 7+1; Vinnie Foord: 5+0; Tom Brennan: 4+1; Tobias Thomsen: 4+1; Sam Hagon: 2+1.