RESULT:Poole Pirates v Redcar Bears

Poole opened their league title defence with a convincing 54-36 home win over Redcar Bears, inspite of the visting number one - Nicolai Klindt - going through the card with a fine display of gating

Not too many number ones get the better of Richard Lawson so when he and Nicolai Klindt were shoulder to shoulder down the back straight on the opening lap, one generally favoured the Rocketman for the win, but the Dane found a boost of pace, pulled clear and set the fastest time of the season with a 58.78 - still 1.87 seconds slower than the track record. Ace Pijper was playing the tune in heat two until Cairns went cleanly by him at turn three, where Pijper fell. To his dismay and frustration he was disqualified from the re-run in which the two Poole youngsters of Cairns and Cooper Rushen ensured the points would be flowing as they both convincingly beat Jody Scott. Gating was again Poole's forte when Lewis Kerr and Kyle Neman arrived at the first turn well ahead of their counterparts, and whilst Jake Allen tried to have a nibble at Newman's heels on the back straight he soon drifted back as Newman fended him off emphatically. Rushen produced and excellent move in heat four to get by Jason Edwards and contribute to the Pirates' third straight maximum, in a heat led comfortably by Zach Cook. At the start of heat five with clock well into single digits, Klindt still didn't look too happy with things, but it was all a ruse as he jetted out the start and was pleased to see Jake Mulford upsides of him. the pair going on to record Redcar's first, and it was to prove only, heat advantage  at the expense of Newman and Kerr (19-11).

Fraser Bowes snaked out of the tapes and was stone last but still managed to pass Pijper on bend four. But then he ran out of room as Pijper was fighting back and making Bowes stay wide, and he ultimately ran out track and his attempt was over. Cairns stormed out of the tapes in heat seven and had Cook in support. It was as similar story for Rushen and Bowes in heat eight, the pair gating equall. Desperate to see Bowes get amongst the points he is working hard for, the Poole fans were willing him on at every turn and whilst it wasn't always the tidiest he was able to shrug off Scott's mid race interests and ensure another 5-1. In heat nine, it was another quick get away by Klindt, but he didn't have it quite all his own way as he needed to fend off a challenge from Kerr but then Newman drilled his way inside of Edwards to mitigate the tactical substitution deployed by the Bears. Lawson produced a splendid move to go third to first in heat ten but although Bowes was giving it his all at every turn he couldn't quite get on the points he was after. So over the second batch of five heats the Pirates had matched that of the opening, to establish a healthy 16 point lead (38-22).

Klindt had real speed again in heat eleven but on lap two Cairns tried really hard and came close to getting alongside the Bears big hitter. Unbeaten Rushen missed the start in heat twelve and then suffered a flat tyre that forced him gracefully to bail out at the back. trying to desperately catch the pack. Kerr, however, had things under control out front in spite of a couple of minor errors.  Klindt again doing it from the traps picked up another win over Lawson, but the present Poole and his captain ganged up on Edwards to prevent Redcar chipping away at the lead. From the off Cairns had heat fourteen in his pocket but his celebrations were tempered when, on the warm down lap , his bike packed up big time. Klindt was in no mood to go home without his maximum and Cook's assault proved in vain, but the Pirates had the league points and an 18-point advantage in the quest for the bonus. 

POOLE 54
Richard Lawson 2,3,3,2,1'=11+1 (5)
Fraser Bowes 1',0,2',0=3+2 (4)
Lewis Kerr 3,0,2,3=8 (4)
Kyle Newman 2',1,1',1=5+2 (4)
Zach Cook 3,2',1',1',2=9+3 (5)
William Cairns 3,3,2,3=11 (4)
Cooper Rushen 2',2',3,F=7+2 (4)

REDCAR 36
Nicolai Klindt 3,3,3,3,3,3=18 (6)
Jake Mulford 0,2',0,0=2+1 (4)
Jordan Jenkins 0,0,1',1'=2+2 (4)
Jake Allen 1,1,2,2,0=6 (5)
Jason Edwards 1,2,0,0=3 (4)
Ace Pijper FD,1',TS,2,RS=3+1 (3)
Jody Scott 1,0,1,0=2 (4)

Ht 1:  N.Klindt, R.Lawson, F.Bowes, J.Mulford 3-3 3-3 [58.78]
Ht 2:  W.Cairns, C.Rushen, J.Scott, A.Pijper [fell exc] 5-1 8-4 [59.38]
Ht 3:  L.Kerr, K.Newman, J.Allen, J.Jenkins 5-1 13-5 [59.86]
Ht 4:  Z.Cook, C.Rushen, J.Edwards, J.Scott 5-1 18-6 [59.67]
Ht 5:  N.Klindt, J.Mulford, K.Newman, L.Kerr 1-5 19-11 [59.97]
Ht 6:  R.Lawson, J.Edwards, A.Pijper, F.Bowes 3-3 22-14 [60.39]
Ht 7:  W.Cairns, Z.Cook, J.Allen, J.Jenkins 5-1 27-15 [59.99]
Ht 8:  C.Rushen, F.Bowes, J.Scott, J.Mulford 5-1 32-16 [60.82]
Ht 9:  N.Klindt, L.Kerr, K.Newman, J.Edwards, A.Pijper [Tac Subbed] 3-3 35-19 [60.74]
Ht 10:  R.Lawson, J.Allen, J.Jenkins, F.Bowes 3-3 38-22 [61.5]
Ht 11:  N.Klindt, W.Cairns, Z.Cook, J.Mulford 3-3 41-25 [60.85]
Ht 12:  L.Kerr, A.Pijper, J.Jenkins, C.Rushen [fell] 3-3 44-28 [61.6]
Ht 13:  N.Klindt, R.Lawson, Z.Cook, J.Edwards 3-3 47-31 [60.85]
Ht 14:  W.Cairns, J.Allen, K.Newman, J.Scott 4-2 51-33 [61.87]
Ht 15:  N.Klindt, Z.Cook, R.Lawson, J.Allen 3-3 54-36 [61.01]

SGB Referee Mr Chris Durno (Trainee Mr Josh Marsh)
Meeting Reaction