POOLE MERIDIAN LIFTS PIRATES
2003 BSPA ELITE LEAGUE KNOCKOUT CUP WINNERS
Back : Mike Golding (Promoter), Neil Middleditch (Team Manager), Tony Rickardsson, Leigh Adams, Bjarne Pedersen, Lukas Dryml, Matt Ford ( Promoter).
Front : Garry Stead, Antonio Lindback, Mark Loram.
This is the Poole side that beat Coventry 90 – 88 to win the Knockout Cup and complete a league and cup double for the first time in the club’s history since 1990.
Having already won the 2003 Elite League Championship, this victory also completed another historic league and cup ‘double’ for the Dorset club, their first for 13 seasons
Ridden over two legs, home and away, Poole saw off the challenge of Eastbourne in the first round, winning 88 – 74 in a rain affected tie.
The semi-finals saw them overcome Oxford by 100 – 80 to reach the final where they lined – up against old rival Coventry.
The first leg at Poole saw the Pirates grab a slender six point lead which quickly vanished in the first seven races of the second leg at Brandon.
But the team rallied to pull of an impossible comeback to win 90 – 88 on aggregate and lift BSPA Elite League Knockout Cup for the first time.
Quarter Final :
First leg at Poole Poole 56 Eastbourne 34
Second leg at Eastbourne Eastbourne 40 Poole 32 Poole win 88 – 74 on aggregate.
Semi final :
First leg at Poole Poole 56 Oxford 34
Second leg at Oxford Oxford 46 Poole 44 Poole win 100 – 80 on aggregate
Final :
First leg at Poole Poole 48 Coventry 42
Second leg at Coventry Coventry 46 Poole 44 Poole win 90 – 88 on aggregate.
POOLE MERIDIAN LIFTS PIRATES
2003 BSPA ELITE LEAGUE CUP WINNERS
Back : Ricky Ashworth, David Ruud, Craig Boyce, Antonio Lindback, Bjarne Pedersen.
Kneeling : Dave Watt, Neil Middleditch ( Team Manager ), Magnus Zetterstrom, Tony Primmer.
This side won the British League Cup to complete a historic ‘treble’ with the club also winning the BSPA Elite League and the BSPA Elite League Knockout Cup.
The club also tracked two separate sides on the same night, with the first team riding an Elite League match at Eastbourne, while the second rode a British League Cup match at Wolverhampton.
This competition was split into five qualifying groups, after which the competition reverted to a knockout format with Quarter and Semi Finals and a Grand Final.
Quarter Final :
First leg at Poole Poole 57 Workington 33
Second leg at Workington Workington 40 Poole 50 Poole win 107 – 73 on aggregate.
Semi Final
First leg at Belle Vue Belle Vue 41 Poole 49
Second leg at Poole Poole 46 Belle Vue 44 Poole win 95 – 85 on aggregate.
Grand Final
First leg at Eastbourne Eastbourne 48 Poole 42
Second leg at Poole Poole 56 Eastbourne 34 Poole win 98 – 82 on aggregate.