REPORT: Poole Pirates 54 Berwick Bandits 36

Poole recovered from a slow start against the Berwick Bandits to keep their excellent home run going, posting a final score of 54-36

Rory Schlein wasted no time in showing his liking for Wimborne Road as he fired the Bandits in to an early lead, making all the running in heat one. Whilst Richard Lawson was able to pick off Jye Etheridge after the opening lap, pressure from Anders Rowe was strong without ever being able to find a way through. So, after no last places from the whole team a week ago, the Pirates found themselves with one immediately on the card. 

Heat two was also won by an Australian, Jacob Hook gating well and although Kyle Newman appeared to have the speed he was unable to execute the needed pass to try and get Poole back on level terms, but with Adam Roynon holding third, at least the Pirates suffered no further slippage. That wasn't to be the case in heat three however, when cruelly, race leader Ben Cook packed up at the start of the second lap after leading quite convincingly, and so the Bandits ran out 4-2 winners instead of the Pirates, with Leon Flint gratefully taking up the running. Roynon made an early escape from the tapes but it rendered a call-back with a warning in heat four. Worrall made the better of the gates second time of asking and Roynon showed good skills with an early pass on Connor Coles to slide into second place, but Thomas Jorgensen had been creating pace and on the final lap made a move on Roynon that restricted Poole to a match-levelling 4-2. 

Both the Cook boys were away sharp in heat five but Schlein was able to pick off Zach, Ben having put his earlier problems behind him (together with the rest of the pack) to record a sub-fifty nine second race time. There was plenty of movement on the line at the start of heat six by Hook but the referee seemed content to let things go this time around, but it was his partner Jorgensen who benefitted from any distractions. He needed, however, to be on a full alert as Lawson launched a brave attack off turn two and tried to squeeze through the slenderest of openings, but just couldn't manage it. Hook took a second lap fall, remounted but his race was done and Rowe gratefully accepted the point to keep the scores level. Newman was an early mover in heat seven but again was allowed to get away with it, although a post-race warning was handed out to him. Worrall took the win and Newman's third edged Poole ahead for the first time. A determined ride from Roynon in heat eight to get to the front was well received, Rowe having to be content with third place from a ride that was all about pressurising Coles and arguably was deserving of a better return. In keeping with their recent form, the Cook brothers delivered again in heat nine, registering the first 5-1 of the night, but Zach didn't have it all his own way in second as Jorgensen looked keen to try and relieve him of the placing throughout the early stages. 

At the first opportunity Berwick rung the changes in heat ten with Schlein brought in as a tactical substitute and he made no mistake, inflicting a second defeat on Lawson, but Rowe's point kept the Poole's advantage intact going into the final third of the meeting. Steve Worrall made a barnstorming start to heat eleven, and shrugged off two-on-the-trot Schlein. Newman found some good speed again around turn one and looked as if he might join his skipper at the front. But Schlein defended the situation, restricting Poole to extending their lead by only two, but nevertheless the Pirates now held a double figure advantage. Losing his steel shoe proved costly for Roynon in heat twelve for it also caused him to lose his one-time second place and a potential share in a 5-1 with Ben Cook and any points money. Lawson gained his first win of the night in heat thirteen, beating Schlein at the third attempt, but Worrall's maximum was knocked back by Schlein finishing between the two Pirates. Responding to Dan Ford's programme notes to establish a big as an advantage as possible to give them hope of the bonus point next month when they visit the Border county, Newman and Zach Cook both produced good inside dives, Newman at the second turn, Cook at the fourth, to pile on the points. Worrall avenged for his heat thirteen beating by Schlein to take the final heat honours whilst Ben Cook was forced to settle for third despite making Schlein sweat.
                        

POOLE 54
Richard Lawson 2,2,2,3=9 (4)
Anders Rowe 0,1',1,1'=3+2 (4)
Ben Cook R,3,3,3,1=10 (5)
Zach Cook 2,1,2',2'=7+2 (4)
Steve Worrall 3,3,3,1,3=13 (5)
Kyle Newman 2,1,1,3=7 (4)
Adam Roynon 1',1,3,0=5+1 (4)
.
BERWICK 36
Rory Schlein 3,2,3,2,2,2=14 (6)
Jye Etheridge 1,0,0,0=1 (4)
Leon Flint 3,2,0,2,0=7 (5)
Jonas Knudsen 1,0,TS,1=2 (3)
Thomas Jorgensen 2,3,1,0=6 (4)
Jacob Hook 3,0,0,1'=4+1 (4)
Connor Coles 0,0,2,0=2 (4)
.
Ht 1:  R.Schlein, R.Lawson, J.Etheridge, A.Rowe 2-4 2-4 [58.87]
Ht 2:  J.Hook, K.Newman, A.Roynon, C.Coles 3-3 5-7 [60.62]
Ht 3:  L.Flint, Z.Cook, J.Knudsen, B.Cook [rtd] 2-4 7-11 [60.22]
Ht 4:  S.Worrall, T.Jorgensen, A.Roynon, C.Coles 4-2 11-13 [60.16]
Ht 5:  B.Cook, R.Schlein, Z.Cook, J.Etheridge 4-2 15-15 [58.91]
Ht 6:  T.Jorgensen, R.Lawson, A.Rowe, J.Hook 3-3 18-18 [59.1]
Ht 7:  S.Worrall, L.Flint, K.Newman, J.Knudsen 4-2 22-20 [60.22]
Ht 8:  A.Roynon, C.Coles, A.Rowe, J.Etheridge 4-2 26-22 [60.68]
Ht 9:  B.Cook, Z.Cook, T.Jorgensen, J.Hook 5-1 31-23 [59.62]
Ht 10:  R.Schlein, R.Lawson, A.Rowe, L.Flint, J.Knudsen [Tac Subbed] 3-3 34-26 [58.84]
Ht 11:  S.Worrall, R.Schlein, K.Newman, J.Etheridge 4-2 38-28 [60.12]
Ht 12:  B.Cook, L.Flint, J.Hook, A.Roynon 3-3 41-31 [60,56]
Ht 13:  R.Lawson, R.Schlein, S.Worrall, T.Jorgensen 4-2 45-33 [59.78]
Ht 14:  K.Newman, Z.Cook, J.Knudsen, C.Coles 5-1 50-34 [60.6]
Ht 15:  S.Worrall, R.Schlein, B.Cook, L.Flint 4-2 54-36 [60.44]

SGB Referee: Probationer Simon Smith under the supervision of Mr Chris Gay 
POOLE won toss and deferred choice to heat 15; BERWICK chose gates 1&3 |POOLE choose gates 1&3 in heat 15  
League Points: POOLE 2 BERWICK 0

Photo selection courtesy of Anthony Burchall and Tony Hartmann