Report: Poole Pirates v Plymouth Gladiators

The opening meeting of the 'Wessex Marine' Pirates seasons saw its start time steadily deferred to allow the bumper Easter crowd more time to be admitted, but once racing did get underway it lasted around ten seconds before the packed terraces endured an hour long delay.

Popular two-term Pirate Tobias Thomsen marked his return to Wimborne Road emerging though from the visitor's pit bay, having moved clubs during the winter due to Danish commitments making a Wednesday problemmatical for him this season. But just as happened on his previous appearance, he was taken from the track by ambulance and despatched to Poole Hospital after a coming together with his former racing partner Richard Lawson at the entrance to the third turn. 

Lawson also took a heavy fall but was able to walk away and continue racing, but Thomsen had the care of three ambulance crew to make him comfortable before racing could resume.

When it did, it was confirmed that Lawson would be disqualified from the re-run placing immense pressure on the shoulders of Kyle Newman, who only knew during the week of the meeting that he would be part of the Poole set up, at least for the initial month of the season. But the local lad did the club proud as he split the 'DKs' - Danny King and Daniel Klima. It was a crucial result because without Thomsen the Gladiators could only rely on cover from their two reserves unless they fell into tactical substitute territory. With Poole instantly levelling the meeting through well-fought 4-2 from their two sixteen year-olds, William Cairns scything his way to the front and Cooper Rushen opening his Championship career with  a third place.

There was plenty of movement at the start of heat three and whilst Joe Thompson started it all it was Lewi Kerr who actually touched the tapes, which then became entangled in Ben Barker's machine, who paid the price of disqualification. Cairns again impressed defeating former Poole rider Thompson whilst Barker led the Gladiators to their second 4-2 advantage. The exchanges continued in heat four with an impressive win from skipper Zach Cook over Klima whilst Rushen scored a moral victory for youth as he held out Scott Nicholls.  There was a comfortable win for King in heat five but both Kerr and the improving Fraser Bowes were far too good for Spencer.(15-15).

Lawson making his first showing on the track since that nasty fall produced the goods in style, holding off Nicholls who was trying everything he had learned throughout his long career to try and make a wide pass, but Newman couldn't make an impression on Klima so the meeting remained all square. Just as it did when Cook made it two big distance wins from two, his young partner Cairns being blocked out by Thompson whilst Barker finished second. Spencer went down under a strong inside challenge from Rushen with the Poole youngster despatched to the pits to sit out the re-run. So, for the second time all Poole eyes were on Newman and he delivered in spades. There had been a slight wobble on the second lap at turn four but Newman recovered and kept denying Klima's hard pressed efforts. Bowes showed first in heat nine but Nicholls made a telling move around the outside to keep the shared heat momentum going. It was finally broken though when Lawson and Newman emerged from a halted heat ten on a 4-2. Backmarker Barker had slid off at the first turn of the final lap but was able to walk away unscathed. So, for the firt time in the meeting the Pirates had the upper hand, slender though the lead was (31-29).

Two unbeaten riders lined-up adjacent to each other on the inside gates, King on gate one and Cook on two. It was the Poole skipper who came through the heat with a potential maximum still in place and with Cairns picking up third Poole doubled their lead. Kerr celebrated his 28th home race win for the Pirates and first one at Wimborne Road victory since 15th October 2025. King rapidly and emphatically avenged for his one defeat at the hands of Cook but the focus was on the intense battle betwen Nicholls and Lawson at the back, the Poole number one prevailing for the heat sharing point. Whilst Barker won heat fourteen comfortably enough, Bowes and Cairns, after both locking up at turn two, protected the heat with second and third respectively at the expense of the busy Klima. The result meant victory should the Pirates prevent the Gladiators from snatching a match-levelling 5-1. Lawson made sure of that in style whilst Nicholls' ability to fend off Cook means the two sides will head to the Coliseum with just four points between them (47-43).

POOLE 47
Richard Lawson XD,3,3,1',0=7+1 (5)
Kyle Newman 2,0,3,1=6 (4)
Lewis Kerr XE,2,1',3=6+1 (4)
Fraser Bowes 0,1',2,2=5+1 (4)
Zach Cook 3,3,3,2,3=14 (5)
William Cairns 3,2,0,1,0,1'=7+1 (6)
Cooper Rushen 1,1,XD,RS=2 (3)

PLYMOUTH 43
Danny King 3,3,2,3,2=13 (5)
Tobias Thomsen FNS,IRR,IRR,IRR=0 ()
Joe Thompson 1,1',2,2=6+1 (4)
Ben Barker 3,2,FD,3=8 (4)
Scott Nicholls 0,2,3,0,1'=6+1 (5)
Daniel Klima 1,2,2,1',2,RS,1',0=9+2 (7)
Tom Spencer 0,RS,0,1',0,0,RS=1+1 (5)

Ht 1: D.King, K.Newman, D.Klima, R.Lawson 2-4 2-4 [60.82]
Ht 2: W.Cairns, D.Klima, C.Rushen, T.Spencer 4-2 6-6 [61.01]
Ht 3: B.Barker, W.Cairns, J.Thompson, F.Bowes, L.Kerr [tapes exc] 2-4 8-10 [61.29]
Ht 4: Z.Cook, D.Klima, C.Rushen, S.Nicholls 4-2 12-12 [60.29]
Ht 5: D.King, L.Kerr, F.Bowes, T.Spencer 3-3 15-15 [59.9]
Ht 6: R.Lawson, S.Nicholls, D.Klima, K.Newman 3-3 18-18 [60.67]
Ht 7: Z.Cook, B.Barker, J.Thompson, W.Cairns 3-3 21-21 [60.67]
Ht 8: K.Newman, D.Klima, T.Spencer, C.Rushen 3-3 24-24 [62.89]
Ht 9: S.Nicholls, F.Bowes, L.Kerr, T.Spencer 3-3 27-27 [61.16]
Ht 10: R.Lawson, J.Thompson, K.Newman, B.Barker [fell exc] 4-2 31-29 [AWD]
Ht 11: Z.Cook, D.King, W.Cairns, T.Spencer 4-2 35-31 [61.58]
Ht 12: L.Kerr, J.Thompson, D.Klima, W.Cairns 3-3 38-34 [61.06]
Ht 13: D.King, Z.Cook, R.Lawson, S.Nicholls 3-3 41-37 [60.36]
Ht 14: B.Barker, F.Bowes, W.Cairns, D.Klima 3-3 44-40 [61.93]
Ht 15: Z.Cook, D.King, S.Nicholls, R.Lawson 3-3 47-43 [61.14]

SGB Referee Mr Chris Gay (Trainee: Josh Marsh)

Photo credit: Liam Cockwell