REPORT: Plymouth Gladiators v Poole Pirates (Championship)

Poole 'Wessex Marine' Pirates cemented their place in the end of season play-offs but for the third time this season suffered a meeting defeat at the Coliseum, Plymouth, being denied victory through two maximum heat advantages from the Gladiators.Poole banked the aggregate bonus point.

In search of the point required to seal their place in the play-offs the Pirates made a promising start to this meeting and defending the six points from the corresponding fixture that had been held three nights previously. Richard Lawson stormed to a new track record of 51.45 second to make light work of beating Ben Barker and Kye Thomson  then Will Cairns and Paul Starke, swapping racing numbers, fired Poole into a four point lead. Drama and delay was about to unfold when Lewis Kerr drove tightly into the third turn and unsettled Joe Thompson which in turn saw Lasse Fredrikssen lose control and all three hurtled into the air fence. Kerr was soon on his feet, but the Plymouth pair needed more attention, both initially track side and then back in the treatment room once they had made their own way there. Thompson was given all the clear but alas for Fredrikssen it was a suspected broken arm diagnosis that ruled him out of any further action. Immediate Rider Replacement facility came into play, and after a near forty-minute delay whilst the fence was made protective again Barker was first nominated for a ride which he made the most of, along with the battered Thompson as Zach Cook offered little resistance. In heat four, Anders Rowe had a bit of a nibble at Scott Nicholls but never really looked like passing, but Starke rode his way into third before Alfie Bowtell pulled up, but the Pirates pulled ahead again in heat five when Lawson cruised round for the final lap graciously allowing Tobias Thomsen the victory, a wheel length ahead of  the bonus point seeker (13-17).

Again Barker frustrated Poole's hopes as this time he paired up Thomson for another Gladiators 5-1, won comfortably from the gate. Heat seven was another obvious early result once the riders came through the first turn with Nicholls clear of Kerr, then Cook and Spencer at the back. Plymouth missed a chance in heat eight when Bowtell overcooked turn four whilst in second place behind Barker, causing a re-run. Thomsen made a good start but just wobbled at turn two and Barker was there to pounce. Tobias tried his best to get back in front but Barker is nothing if not difficult to beat at the Coliseum. Both Pirates, Rowe and Cairns, promoted themselves by a position almost simultaneously, Rowe taking the lead from Thompson and Cairns the point off Bowtell, thus edging Poole ahead again.  Barker might well be a tough nut to crack at the Coliseum but both Kerr and Cook achieved it in heat ten as Poole were slowly getting a foothold in the meeting (27-33).

Surprisingly, but succesfully, Plymouth threw in the tactical ride straight away - surprisingly because they looked more vulnerable in heat twelve, successfully because it put Barker on track and his win proved valuable as Nicholls packed up. So to that heat twelve, the two Gladiators reserve against Kerr and Cairns. But left with little room at the first turn, Kerr spun out and was instantly disqualified, which became even more frustrating when Spencer did the same thing in the restart only to be proclaimed eligible for the third attempt. He might well have wished he hadn't been as he took off again, this time launching through the air, over the air fence and landing in the neutral zone. Remarkably though, he was as quick to his feet as he had been to fall and once again was permitted back into the heat. A heat though which would be delayed somewhat as the tool kits were required for a second time to repair a replace an air panel. Cairns did his best as the only Pirate hope but couldn't deny Bowtell a win and Spencer's first point as a bona-fide Gladiator was to prove as critical as it was controversial. Lawson held off Barker and Nicholls comfortably, Rowe rarely in with a chance of adding to his score in heat thirteen and then Thompson picked off Cook with consummate ease in heat fourteen to partner home Bowtell for a match levelling 5-1. Poole had at this stage banked that all important bonus point, but having been the only side on the night to have been in front, really wanted the full bounty to keep the pressure on Glasgow who have been slowly chipping away at the league point differential. But even Lawson couldn't find a way to stop Barker and Nicholls from sending the Plymouth fans home with the smiles, the Poole fans having to do the miles wondering just how the side managed to let victory slip them by.
 

PLYMOUTH 47
Kye Thomson 1',2',0,1'=4+3 (4)
Ben Barker 2,3,3,3,1,3,3=18 (7)
Lasse Fredriksen FN,NS,NS,NS=0 ()
Joe Thompson 2',1,2,2'=7+2 (4)
Scott Nicholls 3,3,R,2,2'=10+1 (5)
Alfie Bowtell 1,R,RS,FD,0,TS,3,3=7 (6)
Tom Spencer 0,RS,0,0,RS,1=1 (4)
.
POOLE 43
Richard Lawson 3,2',2,3,1=11+1 (5)
Tobias Thomsen 0,3,2,1',0=6+1 (5)
Lewis Kerr X0,2,3,FD=5 (4)
Zach Cook 1,1',2',1=5+2 (4)
Anders Rowe 2,1,3,0=6 (4)
William Cairns 3,0,1,2=6 (4)
Paul Starke 2',1',1',0=4+3 (4)
.
Ht 1: R.Lawson, B.Barker, K.Thomson, T.Thomsen 3-3 3-3 [51.45]
Ht 2: W.Cairns, P.Starke, A.Bowtell, T.Spencer 1-5 4-8 [52.89]
Ht 3: B.Barker, J.Thompson, Z.Cook, L.Kerr (fell disqualified) 5-1 9-9 [53.98]
Ht 4: S.Nicholls, A.Rowe, P.Starke, A.Bowtell [rtd] 3-3 12-12 [53.27]
Ht 5: T.Thomsen, R.Lawson, J.Thompson, T.Spencer, L.Fredriksen [NS] 1-5 13-17 [53.88]
Ht 6: B.Barker, K.Thomson, A.Rowe, W.Cairns 5-1 18-18 [53.35]
Ht 7: S.Nicholls, L.Kerr, Z.Cook, T.Spencer 3-3 21-21 [53.26]
Ht 8: B.Barker, T.Thomsen, P.Starke, A.Bowtell [fell exc] 3-3 24-24 [53.7]
Ht 9: A.Rowe, J.Thompson, W.Cairns, A.Bowtell, L.Fredriksen [NS] 2-4 26-28 [54.3]
Ht 10: L.Kerr, Z.Cook, B.Barker, K.Thomson 1-5 27-33 [53.4]
Ht 11: B.Barker, R.Lawson, T.Thomsen, S.Nicholls [rtd], A.Bowtell [Tac Subbed] 3-3 30-36 [54.48]
Ht 12: A.Bowtell, W.Cairns, T.Spencer, L.Kerr [fell exc], L.Fredriksen [NS] 4-2 34-38 [55.03]
Ht 13: R.Lawson, S.Nicholls, K.Thomson, A.Rowe 3-3 37-41 [53.71]
Ht 14: A.Bowtell, J.Thompson, Z.Cook, P.Starke 5-1 42-42 [54.96]
Ht 15: B.Barker, S.Nicholls, R.Lawson, T.Thomsen 5-1 47-43 []

SGB Referee Phil Griffin
PLYMOUTH won toss and chose gates 1&3 | POOLE choose gates 1&3 in heat 15
League Points: PLYMOUTH 2 POOLE 1

Full report to follow

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