RESULT:Berwick Bandits v Poole Pirates

9/07/22

Poole ensured their mini-tour was not an entirely pointless venture as they claimed a draw and two valuable league points to keep their push for a top two finish mathematically alive, following a dramatic and tense conclusion to the meeting.

Trailing to an opening heat 5-1 defeat inflicted by Chris Harris and Theo Pijper the Pirates were immediately on the back foot although supplied the next three race winners, Ben Cook, Danny King and Richard Lawson - the latter two in times that although half a second slower than Bomber's sensational fastest of the season time, were a match for the previous quickest times recorded around Shielfield this season - to keep in touch with the Bandits.

Berwick increased their lead as Ricky Wells led home Steve Worrall and, for the second time on the night, Drew Kemp failed to get amongst the scorers and then, in heat six the Pijper/Harris combination again prevailed with a maximum, this time at the expense of Lawson and Ben Cook. Heat seven saw early use of the tactical substitute, but it had limited success as Worrall, the nominee, couldn't get by Leon Flint whilst King led out front. But a shrewd switch of riders in heat eight, Ben Cook in place of Nathan Ablitt, reaped reward as Cook and Kemp picked up a 5-1, putting the scores at 26-22 in favour of the Bandits.

Lawson won heat nine, the only Poole scorer, and then King and Zach Cook were able to break the winning partnership of Harris and Pijper, although the brilliant Bomber was the race winner. A 5-1 from Worrall and Kemp over Flint and Jonas Knudsen in heat eleven levelled proceedings and a win from King in heat twelve, was converted by Ben Cook to a minor heat advantage as Nathan Stoneman took a heavy fall and was disqualified from the rerun. 

Harris and Flint restored the scores to level pegs and then Poole were exposed in heat fourteen with Zach Cook and Ablitt both having to complete their mandatory three rides and only had a point between them. Wells and Knudsen duly delivered for the Bandits, a result that assured the home side of victory should they avoid a heat 15 maximum defeat.

Harris and Flint were charged with trying to see the Bandits to victory, whilst King and Lawson had to be the salvagers for the plundering Pirates. The tension was extended when King was warned for moving at the start. Harris had to switch bikes during the break before the re-start and he looked untroubled as he got clear of the two Pirates round the first turn. King refused to give up the chase and just as he was making a back-straight move to take up the lead, so Harris' bike blew up and Lawson was able to join King on that needed 5-1, although King did go over the line on a puncture.

BERWICK 45
C.Harris 3,2',3,3,0=11+1 (5)
T.Pijper 2',3,1,0=6+1 (4)
J.Etheridge 1',1,1',2=5+2 (4)
R.Wells 2,3,2,3,1=11 (5)
L.Flint 2,2,1,1=6 (4)
J.Knudsen 2,0,0,2'=4+1 (4)
N.Stoneman 1',1',0,FD=2+2 (4)
.
POOLE 45
S.Worrall 1,2,1,3,2=9 (5)
D.Kemp 0,0,2',2'=4+2 (4)
D.King 3,3,2,3,2'=13+1 (5)
Z.Cook 0,TS,1,1=2 (3)
R.Lawson 3,1,3,0,3=10 (5)
B.Cook 3,0,3,0,1=7 (5)
N.Ablitt F,0,RS,0=0 (3)
.
Ht 1:  C.Harris, T.Pijper, S.Worrall, D.Kemp 5-1 5-1 [63.8]
Ht 2:  B.Cook, J.Knudsen, N.Stoneman, N.Ablitt [fell] 3-3 8-4 [66.3]
Ht 3:  D.King, R.Wells, J.Etheridge, Z.Cook 3-3 11-7 [64.5]
Ht 4:  R.Lawson, L.Flint, N.Stoneman, N.Ablitt 3-3 14-10 [64.5]
Ht 5:  R.Wells, S.Worrall, J.Etheridge, D.Kemp 4-2 18-12 [65.1]
Ht 6:  T.Pijper, C.Harris, R.Lawson, B.Cook 5-1 23-13 [65.4]
Ht 7:  D.King, L.Flint, S.Worrall, J.Knudsen, Z.Cook [Tac Subbed] 2-4 25-17 [64.6]
Ht 8:  B.Cook, D.Kemp, T.Pijper, N.Stoneman 1-5 26-22 [66.3]
Ht 9:  R.Lawson, R.Wells, J.Etheridge, B.Cook 3-3 29-25 [65]
Ht 10:  C.Harris, D.King, Z.Cook, T.Pijper 3-3 32-28 [63.9]
Ht 11:  S.Worrall, D.Kemp, L.Flint, J.Knudsen 1-5 33-33 [66.5]
Ht 12:  D.King, J.Etheridge, B.Cook, N.Stoneman [fell exc] 2-4 35-37 [65.9]
Ht 13:  C.Harris, S.Worrall, L.Flint, R.Lawson 4-2 39-39 [64.9]
Ht 14:  R.Wells, J.Knudsen, Z.Cook, N.Ablitt 5-1 44-40 [66.9]
Ht 15:  R.Lawson, D.King, R.Wells, C.Harris 1-5 45-45 [66.3]
REFEREE:  Willie Dishington 
POOLE won toss and chose gates 1&3 | BERWICK choose gates 2&4 in heat 15  
League Points: BERWICK 1 POOLE 2