NEIL Middleditch insisted he would be going all out to add to his bulging silverware cabinet at Pirates and added: “We want to win as many trophies as we can.”

The legendary Poole team manager was speaking after his side dominated the opening leg of their Championship Knockout Cup tie at Plymouth on Tuesday – eventually triumphing 49-41 on the road.

With Pirates dropping down to the second tier for the first time since 1990 this season, Middleditch has the SGB Championship, as well as the Knockout Cup in his sights to add to his CV.

Speaking after the first-leg success over the Gladiators, Middleditch told the Daily Echo: “Any trophy is important – we want to win as many trophies as we can.

“That’s always been the gambit, that’s what we have to do, win trophies. The Knockout Cup is a trophy that we want to win.”

Holding an eight-point advantage, Pirates are set to host Plymouth in the return leg on July 21, the winners of that contest will meet either Eastbourne or Kent in the quarter-finals.

Reflecting on Tuesday night’s success, Middleditch said: “We probably could have had a few more points to be fair but I am happy with the win.

“Any away win is a good result and eight points is a good lead – not a great lead but it hopefully should do the job.

“It was my first time at Plymouth and I was impressed with the layout there. The track is very small and it’s very hard to pass.

“The racing is close but you make a start and then have someone like Richard Lawson or Bjarne Pedersen in front of you it’s very, very difficult to pass – I don’t care who you are and they proved that in heat 13 and heat 15.

“Everybody played their part in a good team performance, which is what you need.”