RESULT: Poole Pirates v Plymouth Gladiators

10/08/22

Confirmed finalists Poole flexed their muscles in this local derby to complete their Southern Group fixtures in the SGB Championship League competition, beating Plymouth 62-28

Heat Details

POOLE 62
S.Worrall 3,3,3,2'=11+1 (4)
D.Kemp 0,2',3,2',3=10+2 (5)
D.King 3,3,3,3=12 (4)
B.Cook 1,1,2',3,0=7+1 (5)
R.Lawson 3,3,2',3=11+1 (4)
Z.Cook 3,0,3,2'=8+1 (4)
N.Ablitt 2',0,1,0=3+1 (4)
.
PLYMOUTH 28
L.Kerr 2,2,1',1EH,1,1=8+1 (6)
J.Edwards 1',2,0,2,0,1'=6+2 (6)
Rider Replacement
D.Ruml 0,2,1,2,1,2=8 (6)
B.Nicol 2,1,0,0,0=3 (5)
B.Morley 1EH,1',RS,0,TS,1'=3+2 (4)
H.McGurk 0,RS,0,RS,0=0 (3)
.
Ht 1:  S.Worrall, L.Kerr, J.Edwards, D.Kemp 3-3 3-3 [60.34]
Ht 2:  Z.Cook, N.Ablitt, B.Morley[15m handicap], H.McGurk 5-1 8-4 [61.21]
Ht 3:  D.King, J.Edwards, B.Cook, D.Ruml 4-2 12-6 [60.68]
Ht 4:  R.Lawson, B.Nicol, B.Morley, N.Ablitt 3-3 15-9 [59.75]
Ht 5:  D.King, L.Kerr, B.Cook, J.Edwards 4-2 19-11 [59.28]
Ht 6:  S.Worrall, D.Kemp, B.Nicol, H.McGurk 5-1 24-12 [61.19]
Ht 7:  R.Lawson, D.Ruml, L.Kerr, Z.Cook 3-3 27-15 [59.75]
Ht 8:  D.Kemp, J.Edwards, N.Ablitt, B.Morley 4-2 31-17 [61]
Ht 9:  D.King, B.Cook, L.Kerr[15m handicap], B.Nicol, B.Morley [Tac Subbed] 5-1 36-18 [59.94]
Ht 10:  S.Worrall, D.Kemp, D.Ruml, B.Nicol 5-1 41-19 [61.03]
Ht 11:  Z.Cook, R.Lawson, L.Kerr, J.Edwards 5-1 46-20 [60.94]
Ht 12:  D.King, D.Ruml, B.Morley, N.Ablitt 3-3 49-23 [60.72]
Ht 13:  R.Lawson, S.Worrall, L.Kerr, B.Nicol 5-1 54-24 [60.31]
Ht 14:  B.Cook, Z.Cook, D.Ruml, H.McGurk 5-1 59-25 [60.75]
Ht 15:  D.Kemp, D.Ruml, J.Edwards, B.Cook 3-3 62-28 [61.09]
REFEREE: Christine Turnbull 
PLYMOUTH won toss and chose gates 2&4 | POOLE choose gates 1&3 in heat 15  
Group Points: POOLE 3 PLYMOUTH 0

In recent weeks the Pirates have begun matches slowly but up against a scratched Plymouth side, that featured four guests, rider replacement and just two of their declared one-to-seven, there was no mistaking the Pirates intentions. 

Steve Worrall stormed from the tapes to take the first chequered flag of the night and there were to be a further fourteen occasions when the flag marshal waved a Pirate home first as Worrall, Richard Lawson and Danny King all went through the card unbeaten by a Gladiator.  

King, who celebrated a full four ride maximum recorded his personal best time of the season when he won heat five in a time of 59.28 seconds, which was nearly half a second faster than the 59.75 time Lawson posted twice – heats four and seven – as he too enjoyed his quickest circuits of Wimborne Road. 

The dryness of the day coupled with a low sun, which caused visibility issues early on, meant conditions were not conducive to good close racing but to see the Pirates alert and sharp out of the tapes and into the first turn from the very off was an encouraging sight as the season now rapidly heads towards the business end.  

Poole followed up that shared heat with a lead-taking heat two, which had tapes offender Ben Morley handicapped fifteen metres, the resulting 5-1 being only the second time the Pirates have maxed out the reserves heat (the other occasion was in the corresponding fixture at Plymouth on the 19th July). A determined effort from Ben Cook to try and get by second placed Jason Edwards in heat three didn't quite come off but with King winning from the tapes the lead was still extended (12-6). 

With riders complaining of the sun in their eyes round the first turn a short break was taken but once racing resumed it was Lawson who went off into the sunset, Broc Nicol and Ben Morley packing the minor places. King's personal best came in heat five, partner Ben Cook having a good look round turn one but unable to execute his pass on Lewis Kerr, the resulting 4-2 moving the scores onto 19-11. 

Drew Kemp was leading partner Worrall for the first lap and most of the second in heat six, but a sticky moment around turn four had the youngster needing to react quickly to save things, fortunately he had time on his hands as Nicol and Harry McGurk were a fair distance behind at the time. Lawson saw off Kerr emphatically in heat seven, both arriving at first turn level, but matching his personal best Lawson enjoyed clear ways ahead of him. Ablitt made a good gate in heat eight but just couldn’t hold off Edwards, although he did prove too good for Morley this time and with Kemp out ahead Poole kept extending their lead.  

Tactical substitute Lewis Kerr went through the tapes and back fifteen metres in heat nine and throughout the restaging King and Cook simply cruised it, whilst way behind Kerr and Nicol had a last lap battle between themselves. Kemp again gated well in heat ten and it was just a question as to how quick Worrall would take to join him at the front. The answer to that was coming off the pit turn and with his speed Worrall went on to win comfortably as the Pirates recorded another maximum heat score. 

Unbeaten Lawson graciously allowed Zach Cook to chalk the heat eleven race win onto his scorecard, the pair so far ahead of Kerr and Edwards as Poole homed in on the fifty-point barrier. An untidy start in heat twelve didn’t help Ablitt’s cause but he worked hard at the back without reward whilst Captain King was making it four from four.  Poole broke into the fifties with a Lawson/Worrall 5-1 although to his credit Kerr did make Worrall work for his paid win. There was far less pressure than a week ago on the Cook brothers but they still produced the same result, combining for the Pirates' seventh max heat score and on the threshold of sixty points.  

Resting maximum men King, Lawson and Worrall the responsibility of trying to make it fifteen from fifteen fell to either Kemp or Ben Cook and it was the former who made the gate and duly delivered, whilst Cook wasn't provided any passing opportunities by the Gladiators partnership of Ruml and Edwards.