REPORT: Poole Pirates v Oxford Cheetahs

Despite securing two league points and winning at home for the twenty third time in their last twenty four appearances (the only defeat being a challenge fixture against Swindon on May 10th), there was an air of despondency over the  Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates as the Oxford Cheetahs snatched the aggregate bonus point.
 

Ahead of the meeting, that bonus point looked a certainty to go the visitors way and there was no indication those thoughts were unfounded when Sam Masters hit the first turn in the best position from an even start and went on to share the spoils. But 2022 Pirate reserve Nathan Ablitt showed an upgrade in class, back at Wimborne Road as a Poole guest, taking up the early running and only to be passed by storm-away Anders Rowe for a spirit lifting 5-1 for the Pirates. The Cook brothers left themselves a little bit too much to do to close down Jordan Jenkins after they squeezed back-from-injury Lewis Kerr out at the first turn in heat three. Then, Oxford strengthened their reserve option by switching Cameron Heeps for Luke Killeen in heat four but were thwarted in the heat outcome when second-placed Scott Nicholls was struck by mechanical problems, allowing Steve Worrall and Ablitt to grab a 4-2. 

Heat five witnessed another Master class from Sam but the Cook boys were far too quick for Atkins so the shared heat only served to keep Oxford ahead for that bonus point, as they still trailed by six on the night. Kyle Newman and Richard Lawson were well in control of heat six, making Nicholls' second retirement of the night immaterial. Anders Rowe was in a different county - looking like he was on his way to Latvia (where he will wide for Team GB on Friday) - as he stormed to win number two. As he had Worrall closest to him (some distance behind), Poole banked their third 5-1 of the night. Rowe's reward was a two-on-the-trot spell and he again dominated, steering the Pirates to a 4-2 which not only had the Pirates twice as many points ahead of the Cheetahs, but they were also now ahead on the aggregate front.  

Heat nine saw Ben Cook do all the hard work to try and trump the visitor's tactical substitute move, they had brought in Masters to partner Nicholls, but half a lap from home Cook packed up and a shared heat went begging as Oxford resumed the advantage for that bonus point (71-73). Rowe's fine unbeaten run came to an abrupt end, just unable to make an early inside move work, but Lawson took the victory, thus sharing the heat. Just one race later though Rowe was back on the hunt and he produced a fabulous ride to get by both Masters and Heeps to follow Steve Worrall home for another Poole 5-1 and with the evening's scores 41-25, it was the Pirates back ahead on aggregate, but only by two points (79-77). In heat twelve Ablitt was desperately unlucky when he slid off attacking the pit turn when in third place on the opening lap. Whilst he rapidly remounted his race was done and Poole had to settle for Ben Cook's winning ride for their points, which guaranteed victory on the night and two league points. Heat thirteen took two attempts, Nicholls squeezed out first time around and in the re-start Masters got clear and whilst Lawson tried desperately hard to close him down, the resulting 2-4 score put that bonus point in true jeopardy as those scores were levelled up. A brilliant charge through the middle of Heeps and Jenkins from Zack Cook happened on lap one and then two laps later Rowe had promoted himself into third place, but then Jenkins fell. Probational referee Steve Smith awarded the heat as a Poole 4-2, so that third league point was just a shared heat away. But then came the heartbreak. The Cheetahs got away and they had Ben Cook hunting them down, until that is, on lap two he hit a ledge on the first turn and was jettisoned off his machine.  Again the stoppage lights came on and for the second time on the night there was a race award verdict, the 5-1 going the Cheetahs way so they secured that crucial bonus 89-91.

POOLE 51
Richard Lawson 2,2',3,2,1=10+1 (5)
Kyle Newman 1',3,1,RS=5+1 (3)
Ben Cook 2,2,R,3,FD=7 (5)
Zach Cook 1',1',1,3=6+2 (4)
Steve Worrall 3,2',3,0=8+1 (4)
Anders Rowe 3,3,3,0,2',1=12+1 (6)
Nathan Ablitt 2',1,RS,0=3+1 (3)
.
OXFORD 39
Sam Masters 3,3,2',1,3,3=15+1 (6)
Henry Atkins 0,0,0,RS=0 (3)
Lewis Kerr 0,1,2,2=5 (4)
Jordan Jenkins 3,0,1',FD=4+1 (4)
Scott Nicholls R,R,3,1,2'=6+1 (5)
Cameron Heeps 0,2,RS,2,TS,0,RS,2=6 (5)
Luke Killeen 1,RS,1,RS,1=3 (3)
.
Ht 1:  S.Masters, R.Lawson, K.Newman, H.Atkins 3-3 3-3 [58.59]
Ht 2:  A.Rowe, N.Ablitt, L.Killeen, C.Heeps 5-1 8-4 [59.41]
Ht 3:  J.Jenkins, B.Cook, Z.Cook, L.Kerr 3-3 11-7 [59.94]
Ht 4:  S.Worrall, C.Heeps, N.Ablitt, S.Nicholls [rtd] 4-2 15-9 [59.48]
Ht 5:  S.Masters, B.Cook, Z.Cook, H.Atkins 3-3 18-12 [58.68]
Ht 6:  K.Newman, R.Lawson, L.Killeen, S.Nicholls [rtd] 5-1 23-13 [60.57]
Ht 7:  A.Rowe, S.Worrall, L.Kerr, J.Jenkins 5-1 28-14 [59.58]
Ht 8:  A.Rowe, C.Heeps, K.Newman, H.Atkins 4-2 32-16 [59.58]
Ht 9:  S.Nicholls, S.Masters, Z.Cook, B.Cook [rtd], C.Heeps [Tac Subbed] 1-5 33-21 [60.56]
Ht 10:  R.Lawson, L.Kerr, J.Jenkins, A.Rowe 3-3 36-24 [60.29]
Ht 11:  S.Worrall, A.Rowe, S.Masters, C.Heeps 5-1 41-25 [60.56]
Ht 12:  B.Cook, L.Kerr, L.Killeen, N.Ablitt 3-3 44-28 [60.32]
Ht 13:  S.Masters, R.Lawson, S.Nicholls, S.Worrall 2-4 46-32 [60.32]
Ht 14:  Z.Cook, C.Heeps, A.Rowe, J.Jenkins [fell exc] 4-2 50-34 [awd]
Ht 15:  S.Masters, S.Nicholls, R.Lawson, B.Cook [fell exc] 1-5 51-39 [awd]

SGB Referee: Mr Simon Smith under guidance of Ms Christina Turnbull 
OXFORD won toss and chose gates 1&3 | POOLE choose gates 1&3 in heat 15  
League Points: POOLE 2 OXFORD 1
Photos: Anthony Burchall