REPORT: Poole 55 Glasgow 35

31/07/24

On a very impressive unbeaten home run of forty matches, the Wessex Marine Pirates had an added incentive to inflict a swift double over defending league champions, Glasgow, following the 46-44 away win just five days earlier.

Richard Lawson made his intentions known from the very outset, roaring to an unchallenged victory whilst partner Tobias Thomsen, recovered from the ankle injury that made him miss the Northern tour and half of the Pirates last home meeting, was a little untidy getting away from the tapes, he tried really hard to close down Jack Smith but couldn't quite prevent the heat being shared. Vinnie Foord's purple patch of form, since he has been in the blue and white kevlars, continued as he produced a good first turn to go round James Pearson and the make the race his own. Partner Sam Hagon closed in fast on final lap but didn't quite have enough to improve on the resulting 4-2 advantage. Poole's engine room pairing of the Cook brothers looked a little flooded as they both missed the gate in heat three and track debutant Matej Ivacic celebrated with a fine victory, supported by Leon Flint, who withstood an early move by Ben Cook to put the Tigers ahead. Tom Brennan made all the running in heat four and with Foord even having the audacity to make Barker work harder than he would have expected, Poole squared the meeting and were ready to kick on, whilst Glasgow suffered the loss of Jason Garrad who crashed out in the heat and sustained a collarbone injury.
Chris Harris, suppressed in the opening heat, gave a reminder of his ability as he rounded Ben Cook in heat five but the Poole skipper kept his 'oppo'[ honest, at least for two laps but Bomber's recorded time of 58.66 showed just how fast he was 'bombing!". Lawson made easy work of Barker in heat six and with Thomsen picking off Pearson it was advantage Poole. Brennan cleverly took the pack out wide creating an opening for Sam Hagon to sneak into on the inside run and whilst Sam was able to hold out Ivacic he couldn't make a strike on Flint but at least it was another two points gained.
The red lights had to come on when Smith suffered a first turn fall, but it interrupted what was beginning to look like a real battle as Foord had moved clear of Pearson and Thomsen was in close quarters. With all four back the Poole pair made their respective moves even more fluently and impressively, Foord from the tapes and Thomsen quickly joining him as he breezed by Pearson. Glasgow fancied their chances in heat nine by drafting in Harris but the Cooks conjured up something quite comprehensive as they left the Cornish due of Harris and Barker wanting.
Flint's chain came off as the tapes were released and with a piece of the tapes dangling over the track the referee stopped the race and immediately sought out the footage from the live stream. Satisfied that there was no problems caused by the tapes he disqualifed Flint from the re-run for not being under power. In the re-run Ivacic made a decent start (again) but hadn't countered for Lawson switching lines and powering up the inside off turn two. Harris was able to arrest the run of Poole heat advantages, ruining Brennan's hopes of a maximum, and with Smith heading home Hagon the visitors had achieved their second heat advantage of the night.
Any thoughts of a comeback were short-lived, as Ben Cook demonstrated with a quick overtake of Pearson and off into the sunset. Most eyes, however, were directed at Foord as he moved into third place at the expense of Flint but then was on full alert as the GB star tried to come back at him. Foord also had his sights on Pearson and in the final analysis he wasn't too far off catching him. Neither Lawson or Brennan were in any real mood to endure a battle with Bomber, they both cleared off quickly for a very comprehensive 5-1 advantage, but the Tigers were to gain one more heat advantage, Ivacic just holding on from the late charging Zach Cook with Pearson clear of Hagon behind.
Ben Cook had the stadium on their feet as he made a terrific second lap move off the fourth turn to pass, of all people, Harris and join Lawson on a 5-1, the Poole number one trying his best to allow his skipper to take the victory but realised Ben wasn't going to pass him, he just punched the air and celebrated his perfect full house as he crossed the finishing line for the fifth time, first one home every time.

POOLE 55
Richard Lawson 3,3,3,3,3=15 (5)
Tobias Thomsen 0,1,2',1=4+1 (4)
Ben Cook 1,2,3,3,2'=11+1 (5)
Zach Cook 0,1',2',2=5+2 (4)
Tom Brennan 3,3,2,2'=10+1 (4)
Sam Hagon 1,1,0,0=2 (4)
Vinnie Foord 3,1,3,1=8 (4)
.
GLASGOW 35
Chris Harris 2,3,1,3,1,1=11 (6)
Jack Smith 1',0,0,1=2+1 (4)
Leon Flint 2',2,XD,0=4+1 (4)
Matej Ivacic 3,0,2,3,0=8 (5)
Ben Barker 2,2,0,0=4 (4)
James Pearson 2,0,1,TS,2,1=6 (5)
Jason Garrad 0,FD,NS,NS=0 (2)
.
Ht 1: R.Lawson, C.Harris, J.Smith, T.Thomsen 3-3 3-3 [58.88]
Ht 2: V.Foord, J.Pearson, S.Hagon, J.Garrad 4-2 7-5 [60.13]
Ht 3: M.Ivacic, L.Flint, B.Cook, Z.Cook 1-5 8-10 [60.12]
Ht 4: T.Brennan, B.Barker, V.Foord, J.Garrad [fell exc] 4-2 12-12 [awd]
Ht 5: C.Harris, B.Cook, Z.Cook, J.Smith 3-3 15-15 [58.66]
Ht 6: R.Lawson, B.Barker, T.Thomsen, J.Pearson 4-2 19-17 [59.61]
Ht 7: T.Brennan, L.Flint, S.Hagon, M.Ivacic 4-2 23-19 [59.47]
Ht 8: V.Foord, T.Thomsen, J.Pearson, J.Smith, J.Garrad [NS] 5-1 28-20 [61.06]
Ht 9: B.Cook, Z.Cook, C.Harris, B.Barker, J.Pearson [Tac Subbed] 5-1 33-21 [58.96]
Ht 10: R.Lawson, M.Ivacic, T.Thomsen, L.Flint[exc] 4-2 37-23 [60.69]
Ht 11: C.Harris, T.Brennan, J.Smith, S.Hagon 2-4 39-27 [59.75]
Ht 12: B.Cook, J.Pearson, V.Foord, L.Flint 4-2 43-29 [60.22]
Ht 13: R.Lawson, T.Brennan, C.Harris, B.Barker 5-1 48-30 [60.28]
Ht 14: M.Ivacic, Z.Cook, J.Pearson, S.Hagon, J.Garrad [NS] 2-4 50-34 [61.06]
Ht 15: R.Lawson, B.Cook, C.Harris, M.Ivacic 5-1 55-35 [60.97]