Ford hopeful on Sunday cup date (From Bournemouth Echo)

Ford hopeful on Sunday cup date

7:00am Wednesday 24th September 2008 in

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MATT Ford is trying to fix up the date of Pirates' home leg of the Knockout Cup final against Eastbourne for Sunday, October 26.

Poole Castle Cover's owner has also said they would not be running any more "fixture fillers" this season after a lower crowd than expected turned up for the Draper Tools Four Team Championship last week.

It means if table-topping Pirates lost their Elite League play-off semi-final against Swindon or Ipswich on Monday, the Wimborne Road faithful might have to wait almost a month for their team's last home fixture of the season.

If the Dorset club reach the two-legged play-off final, however, there will be at least one more meeting at Wimborne Road on October 13.

Ford, whose table-topping side will go into the play-offs as number one seeds, said: "We are looking at Sunday, October 26 for our home leg of the cup final.

"We are just waiting on confirmation from the Poole Stadium people about running on that date.

"If we get the go ahead, we'll run the final in the afternoon and then have our club dinner and dance on the same Sunday evening."

Pirates, who overcame Coventry 110-74 on aggregate in the semi-final last week, have the right to stage the second leg of the final at home because they have finished higher than fifth-placed Eastbourne in the league.

Ford said: "Eastbourne have gone to press saying they are riding their home leg on Saturday, October 25 so we will ride our leg on either Sunday 26 or Monday 27."

Poole's owner was disappointed with the turnout for the Draper Tools Four-Team Championship last week - a meeting partly staged with a view to looking at riders they may be looking to include in their 2009 line-up.

Ford would not disclose the attendance, which looked to be between 1,000 and 2,000.

But he said: "We're hoping it won't happen, but if we did lose in the play-off semi on Monday, we won't run any more fixture fillers because the fans clearly don't support these type of events.

"They just cost an absolute fortune as we found out to the detriment of the club with the four team tournament.

"It is now just bona fide meetings.

"Hopefully finals only, but if we get knocked out of the Elite League it would just be the KO Cup to look forward to."