PIRATES team manager Neil Middleditch stressed they had "no complaints" about their 49-41 defeat at Oxford on May 12.

But he added he was "very disappointed" they hadn't won against a side at the bottom of the Elite League and lamented a "lack of strength in depth" at the same time.

Poole RIAS provided seven heat winners and were only 22-20 behind after seven races in front of a 1,200 crowd at Cowley.

But they couldn't prevent the Silver Machine stretching their lead in the second half of the meeting to eventually triumph by eight.

Middleditch said: "I was very disappointed to lose tonight because you arrive here, look down the programme and think you can win if everyone performs.

"We rely on the top five at home but they are not performing so well away and tonight we carried a couple of riders."

Middleditch, whose side remain second in the league three points behind Belle Vue following Swindon's 55-40 defeat at Ipswich, added: "We should have be able to win here, but fair play to Oxford, they picked a good guest in Peter Karlsson.

"The track was fine. There are no excuses, we just lacked a bit of strength in depth.

"I feel the bonus point is well within our reach, though, when we entertain Oxford in the return at Wimborne Road on Wednesday, June 1."

"It is not a foregone conclusion by any stretch, but it is within our reach because we are so strong at home."

Pirates had the opportunity to bring Krzysztof Kasprzak in as a tactical substitute off a 15-metres handicap in heat 14 as they strove to trim their deficit and with the bonus point in mind.

Middleditch, however, said: "It is hard because I knew they would put Henka Gustafsson in and he was going really well.

"I admit it did cross my mind because I fancied Edward Kennett to get third and Antonio Lindback to win it.

"It didn't matter in the end, though, because Edward then had trouble with his bike at the tapes and was excluded under the two minute rule after the cable on his carburettor came off."

Bjarne Pedersen, who scored 10 points from five rides for Poole, said: "Maybe we could have won but it is always 50-50 away from home.

"We had a couple of riders struggle and if Matej (Ferjan), who had a bad night, was doing his normal rides and had got, say, five points, it could have turned the meeting around.

"It is still a long season. We are close to the top of the table and are due to ride against Belle Vue twice again so we can still change the situation around."