Poole Pirates v Plymouth Gladiators

Poole fans may well have welcomed home true Poole hero Bjarne Pedersen with a standing ovation but the Pirates on-track showed the Gladiators' number one no compassion as they restricted the club's second highest points scorer to just five points for his swansong season side.

They didn't have the same fortune however with another club asset, Jason Crump, who might well have been riding his final official fixture at Wimborne Road, for the three-times World Individual Champion reeled off three wins and an eleven point haul, a tally that might have been greater had he not contravened the starting regulations for a second time when he moved early in heat ten. 

Crump and Steve Worrall had both collected warnings in heat three for causing a 'messy' start, but Crump was unperturbed in the re-start gaining a genuine roller and getting out in front. It made for a good race though as Worrall tried incessantly to get by, but the Bristolian was recording his fastest Wimborne Road time ever, 60.72 seconds, to take the victory in a shared heat, thus arresting Poole's maximum start to the meeting with 5-1's in the first two heats.

Skipper Danny King, did as he has been doing for the past three Wimborne Road meetings and ran amock in heat four, the only points that came Poole's way as partner Danyon Hume took a fall, scrambled back aboard, only for his bike to pack up on his next lap. But the 5-1's returned when Steve Worrall quickly pulled clear in heat five leaving Ben Cook to fend for himself, which he did admirably considering he had Bjarne Pedersen mounting an ever increasing challenge as the race progressed. Gladiators' guest Ben Barker showed the field a clean set of heels in heat six whilst Zach Cook gave Rory Schlein plenty of attention after Ben Basso's race had virtually ended once he got a bit out of shape on the opening lap.

Crump's clutch release was spot on in heat seven as he flew out of the traps and set about building an advantage. Branded the "King of Wimborne Road" for his recent run of unbeaten rides, Poole skipper Danny King set about trying to make up the deficit. In the final two laps he looked the faster of the two but Crump had just enough in the tank to end King's run, but nevertheless fifteen successive race wins is a statistic to be proud of. Heat eight brought about another unclean start but Hume was able to get away the best. Basso appeared to have a fuel problem so the early 5-1 the two Pirates were on was turned into a shared heat as Basso pulled up. Ben Cook won heat nine by some distance but Worrall had to concede second place to Barker, Poole increasing their lead on the night to 32-22, prompting Garry May to introduce Barker as a tactical substitute to partner the on-song Crump.

This time though Crump incurred the wrath of referee Chris Gay with his early departure from the tapes and with a warning already to his name was disqualified. Basso made first show in the re-start but all eyes were on Rory Schlein as he kept Ben Barker on his shoulder and eased him out towards the fence where there was only one real option for Barker...back-off. If that was good to watch it had nothing on the sheer inspiration of Anders Rowe in heat eleven. Poole's guest got on the wide line, kept the power on and blitzed his way round the traffic to storm to victory, with King backing up for a huge 5-1 for the Pirates (42-24).

Steve Worrall spared no horses in heat twelve, Hume gambling with an inside line dive off turn two which didn't quite come off, so points were shared for the fourth time, but victory assured, and home record still in tact . 

Danny King delivered an absolute unbelievable eye-of-the needle move splitting Pedersen and Barker in heat thirteen as the tight trio came out of pits turn and headed down the straight. Schlein, passing Barker then mounted an attack on Pedersen but the canny Dane used all his experience to hold fast.

Both Pirates were left wanting at the start in heat fourteen but Ben Cook dug deep, went by Dillon Ruml and then pushed Crump all they way. Crump was out again for the final race of the night along with Pedersen this time, perhaps the final league race the pair of them would ride at Wimborne Road, but an excellent move by King to ease out Crump ensured that neither of the two ex-Pirates would go out on a race win.

POOLE 55
Rory Schlein 3,2,3,1,1 =10
Ben Basso 2',0,R,2' =4+2
Steve Worrall 2,3,1,3 =9
Ben Cook 1',2',3,2 =8+2
Danny King 3,2,2',3,3 =13+1
Anders Rowe 2',0,3,0 =5+1
Danyon Hume 3,R,3,0 =6
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PLYMOUTH 35
Bjarne Pedersen 1,1,1,2,0 =5
Zane Keleher 0,0,0 =0
Alfie Bowtell 0,1,1' =2+1
Jason Crump 3,3,XE,3,2 =11
Ben Barker 2,3,2,1,0 =8
Zach Cook 1,1,2,0,0,2 =6
Dillon Ruml 0,1',1',1 =3+2
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Ht.1 R.Schlein,B.Basso,B.Pedersen,Z.Keleher,5-1 5-1 (60.47)
Ht.2 D.Hume,A.Rowe,Z.Cook,D.Ruml,5-1 10-2 (61.13)
Ht.3 J.Crump,S.Worrall,B.Cook,A.Bowtell,3-3 13-5 (60.72)
Ht.4 D.King,B.Barker,D.Ruml,D.Hume (rtd),3-3 16-8 (60.72)
Ht.5 S.Worrall,B.Cook,B.Pedersen,Z.Keleher,5-1 21-9 (59.94)
Ht.6 B.Barker,R.Schlein,Z.Cook,B.Basso,2-4 23-13 (61.82)
Ht.7 J.Crump,D.King,A.Bowtell,A.Rowe,2-4 25-17 (60.44)
Ht.8 D.Hume,Z.Cook,D.Ruml,B.Basso (rtd),3-3 28-20 (61.87)
Ht.9 B.Cook,B.Barker,S.Worrall,Z.Cook,4-2 32-22 (60.53)
Ht.10 R.Schlein,B.Basso,B.Barker,Z.Cook,J.Crump (exc.tapes),5-1 37-23 (60.56)
Ht.11 A.Rowe,D.King,B.Pedersen,Z.Keleher,5-1 42-24 (61.41)
Ht.12 S.Worrall,Z.Cook,A.Bowtell,D.Hume,3-3 45-27 (60.37)
Ht.13 D.King,B.Pedersen,R.Schlein,B.Barker,4-2 49-29 (61.03)
Ht.14 J.Crump,B.Cook,D.Ruml,A.Rowe,2-4 51-33 (61.53)
Ht.15 D.King,J.Crump,R.Schlein,B.Pedersen,4-2 55-35 (61.38)
SCB Referee: Chris Gay
POOLE win toss and defer to heat 15. PLYMOUTH  take gates 1&3 in heat 1 POOLE take gates 1&3 in heat 15
Rider of the Night: Danny King