FRUSTRATED Steve Worrall felt the tapes were being held too long during the first leg of the SGB Championship final and added: “That’s speedway, it will always shoot itself in the foot.”

The Pirates number one was excluded from the opening heat of the night, having ridden through the tapes during Poole’s 50-40 defeat at Glasgow.

Worrall went on to total five points from his remaining three rides as Pirates ended the first leg with a 10-point deficit to recover.

Assessing his night’s work, St Helens-born Worrall said: “Starting off the meeting hitting the tapes isn’t always ideal but the referee was having a bit of a go, holding the tapes for a while.

“It could have caught a few riders out and I feel like it’s silly when they do that.

“It took the shine off the grand final but it is what it is. That’s speedway, it will always shoot itself in the foot.”

Despite a frustrating night north of the border, Worrall believes Neil Middleditch’s side – who are unbeaten on home shale this season – can turn around the tie in the second leg at Wimborne Road on Thursday.

Asked about the 10-point deficit, he replied: “I would have liked it to be a little bit less, personally.

“I think the feeling in the camp, we feel like it’s okay. Obviously in an ideal world we would all like less points (deficit) or we’d like to be coming away with a lead.

“But we know how strong we are at home. I think last time Glasgow came we thumped them really, they seemed to struggle.

“We are a strong team at home. I feel like I know what I am capable of, Rory (Schlein) maxed out last week, Danny (King) flies round there.

“I think, when you compare our top three to their top three to Glasgow’s top three, on our home track, I think we would like to think we could outpower them.

“It’s the same with the rest of the team. If you match each other up, I feel like on our home track we will overpower them.

“It’s speedway, anything can happen. I think it will be a very good meeting to watch.”